Cylinder importers under-invoicing, killing GCMC – Mould claims
Former CEO of National Petroleum Authority, Alex Mould
The Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company (GCMC) is struggling because importers of gas cylinders are under-invoicing at the ports, Mr Alex Mould, a former CEO of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), has said.
According to him, in order to make the GCMC competitive on the market, the importers must be checked in order to halt the under-invoicing.
Speaking on an Accra based FM station, Mr Alex Mould said: “The LPG market itself was a little bit not as regulated as petrol. The NPA approved the importation of cylinders because our plants in Ghana could not supply enough.
“The question is: why can’t we make sure that we put an embargo on the importation of these cylinders and ask the plants to revamp and get bigger or encourage more investments into the country to do that?
“One of the things I found out at the NPA was that a lot of the importers were under-invoicing. They would say that a cylinder costs $1. But I will call the manufacturer myself and find out that the cylinder costs $6 or $7. So, when they get to the port, they will show invoices of 1$.
“However, Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company was being taxed on $6 or $7. How do you think that they will be able to manage? When you talk, people say don’t, because the prices of the cylinders will go up. But the issue is that you are killing your local company.”
Source:classfmonline.com
Stop Creating Fear and Panic-IES Cautions Ministry of Energy
Paa Kwasi Anamua Sakyi, IES Boss
The Institute of Energy Security (IES) has expressed unhappiness about the Ministry of Energy’s handling of recent vandalism of some power installations at the Tema enclave in the Greater Accra Region.
According to the Energy Think Thank, “Even though the IES believes that any form of sabotage to the country’s power installations must be condemned in no uncertain terms, the situation where political actors use it to cause fear and panic, and possibly win the sympathy of Ghanaians unnecessarily, is equally bad in taste.”
“The IES finds the posture of Mr. Damoah akin to that of the Minister in charge of the Energy Ministry, Mr. Peter Amewu, who last sought to suggest political sabotage into the hacking down of GRIDCo’s Transmission tower in Tema, even before state security institutions could collect evidence and start investigation into the matter.
“The IES is getting worried about the posture of government represented by the Energy Ministry towards recent acts of vandalism on energy infrastructure,” the IES said in a statement.
The statement, which was signed by Paa Kwasi Anamua Sakyi, the Executive Director of IES, called on the Ministry of Energy to apologize to Ghanaians for deceiving them into believing that the pipelines under construction and filled with raw water were part of the accessories to the power sector installations.
Below is the full statement
WE DON’T NEED “FEAR AND PANIC” TO SOLVE DUMSOR
The Institute for Energy Security (IES) was enraged when news got to it through the
pronouncement of Nana Kofi Oppong Damoah, Head of Communication and Public Affairs at
the Ministry of Energy; that some determined persons who wish Ghanaians stay in the recent
power crisis for a longer period have torched a gas pipeline belonging to the Volta River Authority (VRA) at the Tema enclave.
By this news we quickly condemned the needless act and proceeded to visit the spot where the act is said to have taking place, only to find that the reported gas pipeline belong to Cirrus Oil Services Limited, and that it is parallel oil pipelines under construction, and filled with raw water.
The IES finds the posture of Mr. Damoah akin to that of the Minister in charge of the Energy Ministry Mr. Peter Amewu, who last sought to suggest political sabotage into the hacking down of GRIDCo’s Transmission tower in Tema, even before state security institutions could collect evidence and start investigation into the matter.
The IES is getting worried about the posture of Government represented by the Energy Ministry towards recent acts of vandalism on energy infrastructure.
While we condemn these acts by faceless persons, the peddling of falsehood by the Minister of Energy and his cohorts following these incidents, only amount to causing fear and panic among the citizenry. Even though the IES believe that any form of sabotage to the country’s power installations must be condemned in no uncertain terms, the situation where political actors use it to cause fear and panic, and possibly win the sympathy of Ghanaians unnecessarily; is equally bad in taste.
Dumsor by its own name is scary. “Dumsor is now a dreaded name in the country; synonymous with the subhuman “Dracula” who sucks human blood and spreads the undead curse along winding roads within the thick, dark and ancient forest and, over mountain passes”.
The Ministry of Energy must spare Ghanaians of “Wolf Cry”, and rather assure the nation of more sustainable measures put in place to curb the recurring and prolonged power outages caused largely by illiquidity in the sector; and not technical or sabotage by cause.
We call on the Ministry of Energy to apologize for deceiving Ghanaians into believing that pipelines under construction and filled with raw water are part of the accessories to the power sector installations, and that the destruction to the GRIDCo tower is a contributing factor to the
recent Dumsor.
The Ministry of Energy must desist from peddling further falsehood and compromising the work of the state security agencies in their quest to apprehend the criminals engage in the act of
vandalism. And that if it is privy to any political sabotage, the Ministry must make its evidence available to the agencies tasked to unravel such circumstances.
Ghana: Kasoa police arrests electricity cable thieves
Two persons have been arrested by police at Kasoa in the Central Region for stealing conductor cables belonging to Power Distribution Services Ghana(PDS), which cost GHS 27,000
The suspects are Seidu Alhassan aged 28 and Kwaku Eson 31.
Briefing journalists, the Kasoa Divisional Police Commander,Chief Superintendent Kofi Adu said on 6th April,2019 at about 2:00pm the Kasoa police patrol team chanced upon the suspects with the cables and arrested them.
He continued that upon interrogation the suspects admitted that they stole the cables from PDS’s project site at Nkwantanan in Amanfrom, a suburb of Kasoa.
He said the suspects have been processed and would be put before court soon.
Venezuela Won’t Stop Sending Oil To Cuba Despite New Sanctions
Venezuela will not stop shipping crude oil to its political ally Cuba despite U.S. sanctions, the country’s foreign minister said as quoted by Reuters.
“When the conventional power of capitalism attacks you, you have to know how to respond through non-conventional means, always respecting international law,” Jorge Arreaza said.
The official’s statement follows the imposition of more sanctions by Washington on Caracas. This time the sanctions targeted 34 tankers owned or operated by PDVSA along with another vessel and two companies involved in shipments of Venezuelan oil to Cuba.
Washington is calling the oil deal between Venezuela and Cuba “oil for oppression”.
Cuba is heavily reliant on subsidized Venezuelan oil shipments, which is why Washington is apparently trying to hit two birds with one stone by stopping these shipments. The leader of the Venezuelan opposition, Juan Guaido, last month ordered the suspension of these deliveries, but PDVSA’s management is still loyal to the Maduro government, so the order had more of a symbolic significance than anything else.
The Venezuelan crisis has already forced Cuba to adjust its energy sources, and the country increased its imports from Russia and also last year signed a contract for more oil product deliveries from Algeria, another long-term partner.
Yet Venezuelan oil and oil products have continued to play an important role in Cuba’s energy supply, not least because it has been, from a certain perspective, free. The two have a barter deal; Cuba sends highly trained doctors and other personnel to Venezuela in exchange for the barrels.
According to Reuters shipping data, the latest cargo of Venezuelan oil products to Cuba left the port of Jose last Thursday: liquefied petroleum gas. In the second half of March, Reuters added, four tankers—two loaded with crude and two with oil products—left Venezuela for Cuba.
Source: Oilprice.com
Towers Vandalism: GRIDCo Engineers working around the clock to remount them
Engineers of GRIDCo busily working at the site.
Energynewsafrica.com can confirm that the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) will, in the next couple of days, complete construction works to replace two of its transmission towers which were damaged recently, thereby forcing Karpower and AKSA to produce below capacity.
When this portal visited the site where one of the transmission towers was hacked down and eventually collapsed on an adjacent tower about three weeks ago, by some unknown assailants, engineers from GRIDCo were busily reassembling parts of the tower in order to remount them.
This portal can confirm that at the time of the visit, the engineers had already assembled some parts of the towers and were ready to lift them to the partially constructed one for conductors to be hooked onto it.
On March 25, one of the pylons near the Head office of GRIDCo that transmitted power from Karpower and ASKA to the national grid was hacked down.
The incident is currently being investigated by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.
Director for Systems Operation at GRIDCo, Mark Baah in an interview with energynewsafrica.com revealed that it was going to cost GRIDCo US$100,000 to remount the two towers.
Speaking to this portal at the site, a supervisor for the project, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the company managed to get parts of the tower from its depot in Prestea, in the Western Region.
He said they are optimistic that in the next couple of days, they should be able to restore the transmission lines.
Eskom lays out plans to avoid loadshedding this winter
With colder weather conditions expected across South Africa and the demand for electricity is projected to increase.
Eskom has noted that South Africans can make a huge difference by rallying towards the common cause of using electricity efficiently, having the collective potential of reducing demand by up to 500MW and saving the equivalent of 1 unit at a power station.
Last week, the power utility indicated that it now has a better understanding of root causes of breakdowns following work done by its technical review team and has a reliable maintenance plan for its plant, with maintenance being prioritised over this period.
The group chief executive, Phakamani Hadebe, said: “We have done an extensive winter plan and review of our power system and identified the problems.
“While the plan gives us confidence that we may go through winter with no or limited loadshedding, we are mindful of the potential of risks on a very tight power system which may result in shifts on the power system and which could result in loadshedding.”
To this end, Hadebe said the company has mapped out scenarios that show that “we will implement loadshedding in cases where unplanned breakdowns increase to more than 9,500MW, delays in returning units from planned maintenance or in cases of unanticipated disruptive events.”
Eskom managed to avoid loadshedding
“The first few days in April have given reassurance of the integrity of our plan as we managed to avoid loadshedding on three days where it was forecasted due to good performance of our plant,” noted Hadebe.
According to him, the power utility managed to go through periods of high demand in the evening peak without using a lot of diesel.
Over the next two months, Eskom expects additional power from generation units that were out for planned maintenance which is currently at about 6,000MW and will ramp down to about 2,000MW towards highest demand period in May.
Two units that were on long-term outages at Kriel and Matla (1,050MW) will also be returned to service.
Kusile 3 is also expected to synchronise to the grid for the first time towards the end of April.
Imports from Mozambique’s Cahora Bassa are expected to be back at full load.
Source: Esi-africa.com
Ghana Gas completes tie- in ahead of schedule
The upgraded Takoradi Regulating & Metering Station
The Ghana Gas Company Limited has successfully completed its tie- in works to the Volta River Authority at the Takoradi Regulating and Metering System at Aboadze in the Western Region.
Speaking to journalists after a working visit of the project site at the Aboadze, Head of Communications at Ghana Gas, Ernest Owusu Bempah Bonsu revealed that ninety percent of the projected work is complete.
“We are ahead of time and have been able to complete the major works that is a tie in to VRA doing about 110 million cubic feet of gas to generate about 600 megawatt of energy,” he noted.
Mr. Owusu Bempah said this development will ensure a reverse flow of gas and boost the Nigerian Gas flow of 90 million standard cubic feet of gas, which amount to 500 megawatt of power in the event of any shortfall to forestall any further power outages popularly known in local Ghanaian parlance as “dumsor”.
He said there will be commissioning and testing of the work undertaken for a period of time as some civil works are undertaken.
Former BOST MD Awuah Darko returns to Ghana; turns himself in to EOCO
Embattled former Managing Director of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST), Kwame Awuah Darko has arrived in Ghana after what some have described as over two years of self-imposed exile abroad.
According to impeccable sources, Mr Awuah Darko turned himself in to the Economic and Organized Crime Organization (EOCO) shortly after he arrived in the country.
He’s said to have flown out of Ghana soon after the Mahama administration lost the 2016 general election and had not been seen ever since.
The EOCO reportedly mounted a manhunt for Mr Awuah-Darko, following a warrant secured for his arrest for him to explain his alleged role in the ‘rot’ at BOST.
The failed NDC Parliamentary Candidate for Ayawaso West Wuogon, according to sources at EOCO, was declared ‘wanted’ after he allegedly turned down several invitations to explain some alleged payments and withdrawals from BOST’s account while he was in office.
Sources say there are several issues EOCO wants Mr. Awuah-Darko to explain, key among them being the allegation that he supervised the transfer of a whopping GH¢40.5 million from BOST to the presidency under John Mahama.
He is also wanted in connection with several cases of alleged loss of oil and dubious payments.
But Mr Awuah Darko maintains that his hands are clean as he never engaged in any shady deals while in office.
Source: kasapafmonline.com
Tema: Burnt pipelines belong to Cirrus Oil Services not VRA
Energynewsafrica.com can confirm that the pipelines which some suspected arsonists attempted to set ablaze in Tema belong to Cirrus Oil and not VRA as reported in the media.
Head of Communications at the Ministry of Energy Nana Kofi Damoah revealed yesterday that some suspected arsonists attempted to set ablaze gas pipelines in Tema exclave apparently to cause power outages.
Some online portals reported that the pipelines belonged to the state power generation company Volta River Authority.
However, a visit to the scene confirmed that the said pipelines rather belonged to private oil firm Cirrus Oil Services Limited.
Environment, Health and Safety Manager at Cirrus Oil Services Limited, Dan Amehoe, confirmed the development to energynewsafrica.com.
He explained that the pipelines in question are not in use at the moment because they are newly constructed ones.
We’ll shoot and kill saboteurs if we see them – Head of GRIDCo Security
Head of Security at the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo), Major Lawrence Appiah (Rtd) says they will not hesitate to shoot and kill anyone who will be caught attempting to temper with power installations in the Tema enclave.
According to him, they will go to that extent if that is what will deter those who have made it their business, to destroy power installations.
His warning followed attempts by some suspected arsonists to set ablaze pipelines belonging private oil firm Cirrus Oil Services Limited in Tema on Sunday evening.
Some suspected arsonists piled car tyres on pipelines of Cirrus Oil Services behind the wall of Volta River Authority, in Tema, and set them ablaze.
However, a security man at Red Sea Estates saw the smoke and raised an alarm, attracting Fire Service personnel from VRA to quickly move to the scene to quench the fire.
Speaking to the press, Major Lawrence Appiah, who expressed worry over the recent attack on power installations, said his outfit has brought onboard the National Security, the Military and the police and that they would not spare anyone who wanted to engage in any negative acts that would throw the country into power crisis.
“We want to tell those who are doing this because they do not want the good of Ghana to be very careful in what they intend to do. We are ready with the soldiers. We know the rules of engagement but we will not hesitate if the arrest will not work; to shoot to kill because Ghana must succeed.”
“We all know how the government is working hard to improve power for all to enjoy. Unfortunately, some people are not interested and are trying to do things to bring it down. We are not going to sit down and allow it, so we have done all that we need to do. We have soldiers, police, the BNI and National Security assisting us to ensure that we nip it in the bud”, he told the media.
He wondered why some persons would be bent on pulling the country backward when the power sector agencies are doing their best to ensure sustainable power supply to Ghanaians.
Western Region: Two ‘goro boys’ arrested for engaging in illegal connection
Suspects: Benjamin Okai and Gabriel Akpabli
Two persons have been arrested by the Revenue Protection Taskforce of the Western Regional Office of the Power Distribution Service Ghana (PDS) for illegally drawing out power and further issuing a meter connection to a prospective customer.
The two have been identified as Benjamin Okai and Gabriel Akpabli both aged 34 and residents of Kwesimintsim.
Speaking to Empire News about the arrest of the two, Western Region Manager of Revenue Protection for PDS John Quayson – Dadzie explained their monitoring team on Tuesday April 2 visited a cold store at Kwesimentsim and upon inspection realized the smart meter being used is in the wrong operational zone.
When interrogated the owner of the cold store mentioned the name of 34 year old Benjamin Okai, an electrician, who helped her secure the smart meter.
Benjamin Okai was arrested and in his statement mentioned the name of Gabriel Akpabli, who is also an electrician, as his supplier.
An inspection of receipts showed the diversion was done in September 2018.
The Regional Manager Revenue Protection Department for PDS, Mr Quayson-Dadzie, advised prospective customers to visit their office when in need of a new service.
He also mentioned a reward scheme for people who report illegal connections to PDS.
The two have since been handed over to the Kwesimentsim Police Command to face the full rigorous of the law.
Ghana: Gas pipelines in Tema torched by suspected arsonists
Reports reaching energynewsafrica.com has it that some suspected arsonists have torched some gas pipelines within the Tema enclave.
According to the Head of Communications at the Ministry of Energy, Nana Kofi Damoah, some security men who were doing some regular checks along the pipelines discovered that some persons had packed car tyres over some of the pipelines and set them ablaze.
“This is a very sad development for all of us. It gets more confusing and it gets sadder that as we are facing challenges and working hard to get the people of Ghana out of the challenges that we are facing, there are some very determined persons who also wish that we will stay in the condition for a longer period. Investigations into this development have began,” he added.
Mr. Damoah was however quick to add that the gas pipelines could be repaired, adding that the development will not affect power supply “in anyway”.
He additionally said the Energy Ministry is working hard to ensure that persons seeking to destroy properties belonging to the Energy Ministry are dealt with.
The incident comes barely a month when some suspected persons hack down GRIDCo’s transmission tower in Tema.
Benin to install an advanced distribution management system
GE Renewable Energy has secured a contract to modernise energy transmission and distribution networks in Benin.
GE has signed contracts with the government of Benin to help the country to meet growing energy needs while developing self-sustaining electricity systems.
In Benin, GE will supply the country’s first advanced distribution management system (ADMS) to increase energy reliability and efficiency.
The ADMS will be provide utility Société Béninoise d’Energie Electrique with algorithms and predictive analytics to enable grid automation.
For instance, the system will be able to predict issues, identify the faults on the grid and propose a restoration plan.
GE will also upgrade the utility’s substations and telecommunication infrastructure at the National Distribution Control Center in Cotonou.
The project will help Benin to reduce its energy imports, currently at 85% of the country’s total energy demand.
“The Distribution Management System (ADMS) will help optimise energy distribution, reduce electricity losses and minimise shortages.
“This project is aligned with the government’s ambition to efficiently manage the generation from power plants, microgrids and other grid infrastructure to improve the quality, efficiency and availability of power to our customers.
“This system will also help manage the security and maintain control of the grid, “according to the National Coordinator for MCA-Benin II.
Source: Esi-Africa.com
Oil Minister Denies Reports Of Exxon Leaving Nigeria
Nigeria’s Petroleum Minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu has said that he isn’t aware of any plans of U.S. oil and gas supermajor ExxonMobil to exit upstream operations in OPEC’s African member.
ExxonMobil is considering selling some of its stakes in onshore and offshore fields in Nigeria, and those stakes could potentially raise US$3 billion, Reuters reported earlier this week, citing banking and industry sources.
Exxon has recently held talks with Nigerian companies to see if there is interest in its assets in Nigeria, some of Reuters’ sources said, as the U.S. supermajor is now predominantly focused on boosting production in the Permian and developing the huge oil discoveries offshore Guyana.
Exxon is set to soon open in Nigeria the so-called data room with details about the oil and gas fields it plans to divest from, one source told Reuters.
According to the sources, Exxon officials have recently discussed with Nigerian companies stakes in onshore oil fields, in which Exxon participates in joint ventures with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
The U.S. major, however, is also mulling over selling stakes in offshore oil fields.
Exxon is one of Nigeria’s largest foreign oil operators and its production in 2017 stood at 225,000 bpd.
Speaking to reporters at an oil industry event in Nigeria this week, Minister Kachikwu said, as carried by Nigerian outlet The Guardian:
“I am not aware of that. I have not been officially informed. You saw the chairman of ExxonMobil today talking about their long-term plan and he didn’t mention that.”
“Obviously, we will engage them, whether this is true or not,” the minister added.
“I am connected enough to the ExxonMobil system worldwide and I haven’t seen anything like that. It will be a bit of surprise to me and I would not believe this until I am sure,” The Guardian quoted Kachikwu as saying.
Source: Oilprice.com