The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has assured residents of a stable and improved power supply in the Ashanti Region within the next six months, following recent disruptions that have affected economic and social activities.
Managing Director of ECG, Ing. Kwame Kpekpena, said the company is undertaking both immediate and long-term system upgrades.
These include the upgrade of distribution lines between its bulk supply points and substations, as well as the installation of at least 300 additional transformers.
The Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana, together with a team from the head office of the company, have behasn a working visit to the Ashanti region, assessing the region’s recent power challenges.
Many parts of the region continue to experience intermittent power cuts, consequently impacting businesses and household activities.
But under its 3.46-billion-cedi capital investment Programme, the ECG is undertaking critical power infrastructure upgrades to guarantee sustained and reliable power supply to the region.
The ongoing investment programme covers key components of the electricity distribution value chain, including bulk supply points (BSP), high-voltage transmission lines, primary substations, power transformers, distribution transformers, low-voltage networks and customer metering systems.
The Boadi – Kaase – Ridge high-voltage transmission lines are seeing an upgrade of its 265theiruare mm to 400 square mm AAAC (All Aluminium Alloy Conductor) at an estimated cost of 6.8 million dollars.
To improve reliability, the company is also constructing a critical link from the Anwomaso BSP to the Airport substation, which will help stabilise supply across the metropolis and provide an alternative route during faults – estimated to cost about 10.5 million dollars.
Although the projects are ongoing, Manager for Special Projects at ECG, Ing. Frederick Kwabena Bediako, explains some challenges delaying their early completion.
“We’ve started overhead, going up with the towers. We’re going to put conductors on them. Because we are sharing the same right of way with GRIDCo, which is also constructing bigger towers and converting their lines into double circuits, there is an obstruction,” he noted.
However, the Managing Director of ECG, Ing. Kwame Kp, Ekpena, is positive of an improved power supply in the region within the next six months as they undertake some immediate power infrastructure upgrades.
“Each projecits their specific timeline. Within six months, residents of Kumasi should start seeing real improvement in power supply. Also, by the end of the year, we hope to resolve all bottlenecks,” Ing. Kpekpena assured.
In March alone, the outages in the region have drastically reduced the output of the Ghana Water Limited, slashing its productivity at the Barekese Water Treatment plant by 30%.
But the ECG has assured of completing new transmission lines to the dam in the next three months, to provide sustained and alternative power distribution routes for improved water production to Greater Kumasi.
Commending the company for its interventions to resolve the power challenges, Regional MiniDrr, Dr Frank Amoa, Kohene, urged management to expedite works to improve power reliability.
He emphasized the need for the power company to ensure timely updates on planned outages and maintenance.
Meanwhile, the ECG says plans are underway for the construction of a third Bulk Supply Point as they search for funds to begin works.
The new BSP would augment the transmission and distribution of power to the region.
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