Government targets reliable electricity in next three years

Government said on Tuesday it plans to achieve a well-reformed and reliable electricity sector in the next three years by boosting generation capacity, improving transmission and enhancing distribution.

Professor Thomas Akabzaa, Chief Director, Ministry of Energy, said the government has put in place medium to long-term programmes and projects to ensure that its generation target of 5,000MW was met to ensure reliable energy supply by 2016.

Mr Akabzaa was speaking at the Ghana Employers’ Association Chief Executives’ Breakfast meeting in Accra to discuss the country’s energy problems and share ideas and views on how the crisis could be dealt with.

He said government was working to deal with the current electricity challenges, adding that, the restoration of gas supply from Nigeria at the end of April would provide some respite as Sunon Asogli power plant, which relies solely on gas comes back on stream.

Besides, there are negotiations with the Nigerians suppliers to meet their contractual gas supply obligations.

Prof Akabzaa said there were plans to fast track the development of other gas fields to supplement gas supply from the jubilee field.

Mr Terrance Darko, President of the Ghana Employers Association, said the demand for energy continues to outstrip supply and strenuous efforts must be made to reverse the trend so that the competitiveness of Ghana as an investment destination for prospective investors is not undermined.

“We are all witnesses to the current state of irregular, unreliable and expensive electricity supply to business and industry as well as domestic consumers.

“There is no doubt that business, especially, those within the manufacturing sector have been severely hit during this period of the energy crisis,” he said.

Mr Darko said businesses were recording lower capacity utilisation levels, higher production costs, associated with acquisition and operation of high-cost industrial stand-by generators, and loss of jobs.

In order to mitigate production losses on account of lower access to energy, a number of companies have acquired alternate sources of power generation, he said, adding that, this was leading to higher operational costs, revenue shortfalls and lower profitability.

Mr Darko urged the government to show commitment by formulating and implementing pragmatic and achievable medium to long-term policies and measures to augment the country’s energy supply needs in order to forestall any occurrence of the energy crisis.

Besides, government must deepen the engagement with the private sector on the Public-Private Partnership on Energy through mutually beneficial rules, policies and regulations that attracts investments to the energy sector, he added.

Source: GNA