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Ghana requires GHC4.5 billion to power thermal plants -Minister

In 2014 alone, Ghana lost over two billion dollars due to the national power crisis, according to a report from the University of Ghana.

 

Ghana requires US$1.8 billion (GHC4.5 billion) per-annum to power the various thermal plants in the country, Deputy Power Minister John Jinapor, has said.

“...The VRA has indicated that we require about 98 million dollars per month to procure fuel for the thermal plants. This translates into US$1.8 billion per-annum and if you do the conversion in cedis, it takes you to GH¢4.5billion.

“It means that we have to work very had towards raising revenue to the tune of about GH¢4.5billion this year...that is the stack reality that confronts us as a nation,” the GNA quoted him as saying,

The power ministry on December 30, 2015 declared an end to the country's protracted three year load shedding exercise in a press statement.

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The Ministry has however backtracked on that, playing it safe instead.

Jinapor said the load shedding has not ended even though there have been significant improvement in power supply over the last few weeks.

“…If by accident, one plant goes down, especially the major ones we will have a setback...And so we need to observe the system for some time, before we can finally and possibly declare the load shedding over and possibly disband the load management team.”

President Mahama at a press briefing to mark his third year in office also abstained from committing himself on when the load shedding will end. He instead said it will end “soon,” after various deadlines he gave never materialized.

The government is counting on The Africa and Middle East Resource Investment (AMERI) power plant to come on stream February to provide some relief.

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The power plant, which arrived in the country last year, has 10 units and five transformers, and is expected to supply 250-megawatt (MW) of power to augment the country’s power mix.

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