Ghana’s state-owned electricity company has announced a three-week power interruption due to reduced gas supply from Nigeria.
The gas reduction, which started on Wednesday, is due to maintenance work being carried out by a gas supplier in Nigeria.
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
The gas reduction, which began on Wednesday, is due to maintenance work by a gas supplier in Nigeria. This has led to a decrease in power generation capacity across Ghana.
To manage electricity distribution efficiently, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) announced on Thursday that load shedding would be necessary.
The statement reads, “The Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) wish to inform the public about the implementation of a load management program due to a gas supply shortfall from Nigeria. This is necessary to maintain system stability and reliability during the three-week maintenance period of the gas supply infrastructure.”
ECG assured the public that it is collaborating closely with other stakeholders in the power sector to optimize available resources and minimize the impact on consumers.
The companies are committed to effectively managing the disruptions to ensure that essential services remain uninterrupted during the reduced gas supply period.
WAPCo reduction in gas volumes
Earlier on Wednesday, the West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo) announced a reduction in gas volumes available for transportation due to a producer in Nigeria shutting down its facility for maintenance.
This has resulted in a decreased gas supply for WAPCo to transport to customers in Togo, Benin, and Ghana.
The statement reads, “One of the producers of the natural gas WAPCo transports from Nigeria has shut down its facility for a three-week maintenance, resulting in a decrease available to transport for customers in Togo, Benin and Ghana.”
“The current situation is entirely out of WAPCo’s control. We expect normalcy to return after the maintenance activities”
What you should know
The West African Gas Pipeline starts at the Itoki Natural Gas Terminal in Ogun State, Nigeria, and travels through Agido near Badagry in Lagos, passing 33 Nigerian communities to reach the Lagos Beach Compressor Station.
From there, it runs offshore, delivering gas to Western Ghana in Takoradi, with delivery laterals extending to Cotonou in Benin, Lome in Togo, and Tema in Ghana.
The West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited operates a 678-kilometre pipeline that transports natural gas from Nigerian fields to markets in Benin, Togo, and Ghana.