Kumasi, Nov. 30, GNA – Key players in the power supply sector say reconstruction works are being expedited to fix fallen towers and restore the lines to normalise the power situation in Kumasi.
The players, made up of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), GRIDCO, Energy Ministry and the Volta River Authority (VRA), say everything was being done to bring the situation to normalcy.
Mr Vincent Boakye, the Director in charge of Northern Networks of the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCO), told journalists in Kumasi that the reconstruction works were expected to be completed by December 20, 2021.
Power supply to the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area has been challenging in recent times, especially during peak periods (1800 to 2300hours).
On November 9, this year, a communication tower fell on the 330 kilovolt (kV) Aboadze-Kumasi Transmission line at Bogoso.
Three transmission towers collapsed in the process and were extensively damaged, requiring either repair or complete replacement.
Mr Boakye, during a joint media briefing organised by the ECG, GRIDCO, Energy Ministry and VRA in Kumasi, said as a result of the breakdown, power supply to Kumasi and its environs had been coming from Akosombo Generating Station and the power generation enclaves in Tema.
This had made the available transmission networks unable to carry enough power to the middle and northern parts of the country, including Kumasi.
He urged customers and residents in the Ashanti Region to bear with the situation saying all the key players were committed to maintaining a reliable and efficient power supply for national development.
Mr Lawrence Apaalse, the Chief Director at the Ministry of Energy, said the Ministry was going to lead short, medium to long term interventions towards finding lasting solutions to the power challenges in Kumasi.
They included collaboration with power agencies to establish another power generation enclave in Kumasi to improve power supply to the middle and northern parts of the country.
This will encompass the relocation of Ameri Power Plant from Aboadze to Kumasi, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2022.
Again, the installation of voltage improvement equipment – Static Var Compensator (SVC) – is being intensified to improve transmission systems and enhance voltage capacity in Kumasi.
There are also plans to build a third Bulk Supply Point (3BSP) in Kumasi to increase the transmission capacity and voltage stability.
Procedures to construct a 330kV Kumasi-Pokuase transmission line to complete the 330kV transmission loop for enhanced power supply to Kumasi are also ongoing.
GNA