Residents in some parts of Kumasi are are to brace themselves up for more of the incessant power outages they are currently experiencing.

This is because, the situation is expected to last till the end of the year.

The Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) Mr Kwame Agyeman-Budu who said this also made it clear, the ECG was not to blame for the situation, for they only distribute the power at their disposal from GRIDCo.

“We take off power as and when GRIDCo reduces power supply to us, so as at now, we cannot tell when and where will go off at a particular time”, he said.

For this reason, the power distribution company says it is unable to provide affected residents with a power rationing schedule.

He however indicated that authorities were working on the challenges at hand to ensure a stable power supply by the end of the year.

According to him, the situation being experienced by a section of residents in Kumasi and its environs was due to system ch

Challenges
Addressing the media in Kumasi, the MD said the overload on its Ridge Bulk Supply Point (BSP) always caused the system to fail especially during peak hours.

Aside from them, he said due to the long distance of the region from the production point, there was always a drop in voltage and the issue “is compounded during peak hours.“

Solutions
He said government was currently building a 330 KV line from Anwomanso to northern Ghana where power would be transmitted directly to the northern part of the country and thus take off the load on the Ridge BSP.

The line connecting Kumasi up to Bolgatanga has been divided into three lots with the Lot One being Anwomanso to Kintampo, Lot Two being Kintampo to Tamale and Lot Three, from Tamale to Bolgatanga.

Currently, works on Lots Two and Three have been completed leaving Lot One which is still under construction.

Mr Agyeman-Budu was hopeful when works on Lot One were completed and the load taken off the main BSP station at Ridge, things would normalize.

Again, he said plans were far advanced for the relocation of the Ameri Plant in Ashanti region to serve as a backup whenever there was a shortfall in supply of power.

Source: graphic.com.gh