A recent GRIDCo report has stated that Ghana needs about $90m to prevent looming power crisis, also known as dumsor following the scheduled closure of the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) for maintenance from January 20 to February 16, 2025.
The maintenance follows an announcement by the West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo), which is conducting a cleaning and inspection exercise on a 56-kilometre onshore pipeline section between Itoki and Badagry in Nigeria.
The process, however, revealed unexpected complications, including a larger-than-expected volume of liquids and debris at the Lagos Beach Compressor Station.
These issues caused operational disruptions, leading to a temporary shutdown of Ghana’s Tema Regulatory & Metering Station for safety and further investigation.
The maintenance will disrupt gas supply to several power plants in Tema, which typically consume about 180 mmscfd of gas. This disruption is expected to create a significant shortfall in supply.
GRIDCo’s report reveals that Ghana’s power generation for 2025 will require a total of 544 mmscfd of gas, but only 415 mmscfd is currently available, leaving a 129 mmscfd deficit.
To address this gap and ensure continuous power generation during the pipeline maintenance, GRIDCo estimates that $89.90 million will be needed to purchase liquid fuels, such as Light Crude Oil (LCO), Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO), and Diesel Fuel Oil (DFO), to run thermal plants.
To meet this demand, GRIDCo recommends expediting the commissioning of new power plants, including the Anwomaso Thermal Power Station and ongoing projects like the AKSA and CENIT power plants in Kumasi.
