GRIDCo puts capacitor into service to reduce low voltage

Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) on Thursday inaugurated three sets of 10 MVAr Capacitor Banks at its Takoradi sub-station to reduce problems of low voltage.

This brings to a total 70MVAr of reactive power so far successfully introduced into the transmission network within a month, a statement signed by Mr Albert Kwesi Quainoo, Head of Public Relations of GRIDCo, said in Accra.

It said the company on December 1, 2010, energised 40MVAr Capacitor Banks into service at the Achimota sub-station in Accra with resultant improvements in voltages by about 3kV at the Achimota sub-station and 2kV at the main Switchyard in Tema and Akosombo, with commensurate reductions in Akosombo reactive power generation.

The statement quoted Mr Vincent Yiadom Boachie, Area Manager for Takoradi, as saying the completion of the first phase of works at the Takoradi sub-station had further enhanced voltages across the system and improved consumer voltages.

The inauguration of the capacitor banks is part of a two-phase project for the installation of the capacitor bank equipment in key substations across the network to address the issue of low voltage, especially during peak periods.

The first phase is being funded from internally generated sources at a cost of 2.8 million dollars and GH¢330,000.

The statement said apart from the Achimota and Takoradi sub-stations, the Winneba, Techiman, Smelter, Sunyani and Kpando sub-stations would all benefit during the first phase. All the equipment for the first phase are in the country.

Source: GNA