The Executive Director of the Africa Center for Energy Policy (ACEP), Ben Boakye, believes the Ghana Grid Company’s (GRIDCo) letter to the Minister of Energy raising concerns over the Electricity Company of Ghana’s failure to provide a load-shedding timetable for customers amidst the ongoing power outages is a ploy to absolve itself of blame.
GRIDCo in a letter dated March 28 to the Minister of Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, voiced serious concerns about ECG’s failure to follow the load-shedding management instructions issued by the National System Control Center (NSCC).
Speaking about the contents of GRIDCo’s letter on the Citi Breakfast Show on Citi FM on Friday, April 5, Ben Boakye told host Bernard Avle that the letter was to officially absolve GRIDCo of blame in the ongoing power crisis.
“GRIDCo is aware of the generational gap in the power sector and all other stakeholders are aware of the challenges affecting the sector so the letter to the Energy Minister is to officially take itself out of what is happening in the sector because the gas to generate the power is not enough.”
GRIDCo in its letter stated that ECG’s non-compliance to National System Control Center’s directive poses a significant risk to the stability of the power grid, citing instances where ECG’s failure to comply has led to a drop in system frequency in some areas.
Ben Boakye also highlighted the possible impact the current power challenges will have on the revenue capabilities of the ECG stating that “Burkinabe authorities communicated recently about the power challenges to their people and said they are considering getting a power plant which will be a shoot in our foot.”
By: Kabah Atawoge
