General News of Tuesday, 2 April 2013
Source: Joy Online
The Volta River Authority (VRA) has given strong hints that the power crisis currently frustrating Ghanaians will end by April 30.
This is because the VRA will take delivery of a new 130-megawatt power plant later today, which it says will help reduce the intensity of the current load-shedding programme.
Head of Corporate Affairs at the VRA, Samuel Fletcher, indicated the VRA is officially taking over the T3 power project at Takoradi which is expected to add 130 megawatts of electricity to the national grid. Additionally, a 133- megawatt unit is expected from the Bui Power project by end of the month.
Samuel Fletcher told Joy News, power from the T3 and Bui projects should stabilise the power situation which will end the load shedding.
Around the same time the VRA is expecting the West African Gas Pipeline infrastructure to be ready for gas from Nigeria, he stated. Currently VRA is powering its turbines with crude oil which generates less power compared to natural gas.
The Renewable Energy Act (2011) empowers government to explore additional power sources such as solar. But this may not solve the current situation.
Public Utilities Regulatory Commission’s Director of Public Relations, Nana Yaa Jantuah, said due to the cost implications of solar power generation, it is not a sustainable solution to the power crisis in the short term.
She said government must focus on fixing the West African Gas pipeline first.