FPSO maintenance, low WAPCo gas to affect power supply

Ghana Grid Company has announced that the stability of electricity supply will be disrupted over the next few days due to a maintenance shutdown of the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah and low gas inflows from the West African Pipeline.

A statement issued by GRIDCo and signed by William Amuna, its Chief Executive, said the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah has been shut down for about two weeks, to undergo inspection and maintenance, effective today, Sunday March 20, 2016.

Gas flow to the Atuabo gas processing plant and the Aboadze thermal enclave has been halted as a result of the shutdown of the FPSO, and will resume when the FPSO starts producing.

The statement said gas from the West African pipeline has also suddenly reduced from 120 million standard cubic feet of gas to just six million, due to vandalism of some pipelines in Nigeria.

Consequently, dual fuel thermal plants are undergoing preparatory works by engineers to switch and run on Light Crude Oil during which the stability of power supply will be affected.

GRIDCo said the switch is expected to be completed within a few days.

By Emmanuel Odonkor