Long-term solution to power crisis - TEN, Sankofa to the rescue
Gas production from the country’s two new oil producing fields is expected to supplement existing gas supply sources to aid in power generation.
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The Tweneboa-Enyera-Ntomme (TEN) Field is expected to add about 80 million standard cubic feet of gas (mscf) while the ENI Sankofa project will bring in about 180 mscf of gas by 2018 when it comes on stream.
These two new projects will ensure a regular supply of gas needed to power the country’s thermal plants to produce power to take the country out of the emergency power generating mode it currently finds itself.
The acting Power Minister, Mr Seth Terkper, speaking on an Accra-based radio station, said the power situation in the country could be resolved with a regular supply of gas for power generation, citing the TEN and Sankofa projects.
“Now we are moving into our own gas supply. Mind you, when you are not in control of certain factors you need stability. Circumstances will tell you when you have to change the approach. For example, it has been realised that our tariff levels are high, now we are moving to a more competitive approach,” he said.
With a total installed capacity of 2,831 Megawatts (MW) from hydro, thermal and renewable sources, and production capacity of about 1,900 MW, it was expected that power generation and supply would not be a challenge with a peak demand of 1,700 MW.
Current situation
Gas supply from the Ghana National Gas Company to the Volta River Authority’s (VRA’s) power plants at Aboadze in the Western Region has reduced significantly.
This is because gas supply from the Jubilee Field has reduced as a result of the adverse weather conditions affecting offshore operations of the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO), Kwame Nkrumah.
This has resulted in a huge shortfall in gas quantities needed to generate power, worsening the power crisis in the country.
Gas supply from the West Africa Gas Pipeline Company (WAGPCo) from Nigeria has also reduced in recent times, further compounding the challenges with energy supply in the country.
Any medium-term remedies?
Mr Terkper said the government was currently looking at moving out of the emergency supply mode that the country had gone into with respect to the energy sector.
“We had to revert back to emergency mode because of some issues but our focus is now on the medium to long term. We have a lot of applications now for Independent Power Production, which we have to programme over a longer period than was anticipated because we now have the emergency power filling some of the void,” he said.
The minister, however, did not give information on the arrival of another emergency power from Karpower, which was expected to aid in power generation.
“I wouldn’t want to comment on specific details because as I said we just did a comprehensive study and we have sent it to cabinet and decisions are going to come on which options going forward,” he said.