Gas supply shortage to power plants in the Tema enclave in the Republic of Ghana has resulted in a 550MW drop in electricity generation.
This has forced the power distribution company, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to put parts of the West African nation in darkness.
Although a statement issued by the Corporate Communications Unit of GRIDCo confirmed limited gas supply to the Tema enclave, thus, leading to a 550MW drop in generation, it did not reveal where the gas supply shortage is coming from.
Ghana takes gas delivery from Nigeria to complement domestic gas from Atuabo and Sankofa Gye Nyame field, operated by Eni to fuel power plants in the West and East.
Energy News Africa reports that checks by energynewsafrica.com within the energy sector revealed that gas delivery from Nigeria has been very low in recent times because of low pressure.
With regards to domestic gas from Atuabo and Jubilee, energynewsafrica.com’s checks revealed that WAPCo has suspended gas transportation to East because GNPC, on whose behalf it transports the gas has failed to settle its outstanding debts.
It is unclear how much WAPCo is owed, but it would be recalled that the company suspended gas transportation in July over $13 million debt owed.
The company resumed gas transportation after GNPC and ECG raised about $6.5m to settle part of the debt.
Meanwhile, the grid operator, GRIDCo, has apologised to Ghanaians over the power outage which has inconvenienced them.
“The inconvenience caused is deeply regretted,” GRIDCo said in a statement.
