- Story by Lawrence Odoom/Phalonzy
The Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, has announced a scheduled nationwide power outage for Sunday, July 13, necessitated by crucial maintenance works undertaken by gas suppliers, ENI.
This temporary shutdown of gas valves is designed to augment gas production to 270 MMscf, thereby fortifying the stability of the energy sector.
Speaking at the milestone event for the reconstruction of the 161kV Anwomaso to Kumasi transmission line, Jinapor elucidated that the maintenance works will temporarily suspend gas supply, resulting in brief power outages.
“This Sunday, July 13, ENI will temporarily shut off their valves to increase gas production to approximately 270 MMscf, thereby stabilizing the energy sector,” he declared. While acknowledging the potential inconvenience this may cause, Jinapor emphasized the long-term benefits of this upgrade, which will significantly enhance gas supply to the national grid.
“Although the plant will be offline for a short period, necessitating a temporary interruption of power, it is a worthwhile endeavor,” he stressed.
He further revealed that expert technical advice had informed the decision to eschew running thermal plants on liquid fuel during the brief shutdown period, citing the complexities and risks entailed.
“Based on the counsel of engineers, I have directed that we refrain from operating these plants on liquid fuel for this short duration, given the intricacies involved in switching nozzles and the substantial workload entailed,” Jinapor explained.
He assured the public that all necessary measures are being implemented to mitigate the impact of the power outage. Additionally, he announced a significant new oil discovery by ENI and noted that Tullow Oil has expressed its commitment to further investment in Ghana’s upstream petroleum sector. The Anwomaso to Kumasi transmission line project, co-funded by the European Union and the Government of France, is positioned to address persistent low voltage issues and enhance power efficiency in Kumasi and surrounding mining communities, such as Dunkwa.
