GRIDCo, ECG blame power outages on Tema thermal plant shutdown

The intermittent power outages being experienced in some parts of Ghana have been attributed to a disruption in operations at the Tema Regulatory & Metering Station, managed by the West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo).

This issue has led to the temporary shutdown of key thermal power plants in Tema, a major hub for Ghana’s energy generation.

The announcement was made on December 11 through a joint press release issued by the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) and The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), two of the primary entities responsible for electricity generation and distribution in the country.

According to the press release, WAPCo’s Tema Regulatory & Metering Station had to be temporarily shut down due to what the company described as “operational upsets.”

These upsets occurred when an unusually high amount of liquids and debris was received at the Lagos Beach Compressor Station, which is a critical part of WAPCo’s gas transportation infrastructure.

The influx of these unexpected materials disrupted the normal functioning of the station, forcing WAPCo to halt operations temporarily. This shutdown, in turn, affected the supply of natural gas to the thermal power plants in Tema, which rely heavily on this resource to generate electricity for the national grid.

The direct consequence of this disruption according to the joint press release, has been a shortfall in power supply, compelling GRIDCo and ECG to implement limited load management measures in various parts of the country.

Load management, commonly referred to as ‘dumsor’ in Ghana, involves planned power outages in certain areas to balance the demand and supply of electricity.

While GRIDCo and ECG have not specified the exact areas affected, reports from residents suggest that the outages have been disruptive, affecting both residential and commercial activities.