Faulty GRIDCO line main cause of power outages in Kumasi and its environs

Contrary to the erroneous impression by a cross section of the public that the Ghana Gas Company Limited are the cause of the frequent power outages in Kumasi and its environs, investigations have proven otherwise.

Instead, it is a GRIDCO transmission line which got damaged in the Western Region by a fallen Globacom mast.

Ghana Gas was running in full Operations from 18th October to 6th November,2021 after a Shutdown Maintenance from 4th to 18th October,2021.

Our investigations revealed that a gas leak detected on the Heat Exchangers called for the plant to be Shutdown and worked on which lasted to the 22nd of November,2021.

All the gas detectors around the Process Area detected the gas leak.

Investigations further revealed that before the planned outage on October 4, 2021, total gas supply and demand balance ranged from 210-250 MMscfd from domestic sources. Gas supply from Sankofa ranged from 140-150 MMscfd while supply from Jubilee/Ten (lean gas) ranged from 70-100 MMscfd.

The gas leak at the GPP, therefore, did not have any significant impact on the country’s gas delivery, as Eni Ghana (Sankofa) was able to provide a maximum of 210-215 MMscfd during the two outage periods.

Within the time frame of the initial shutdown, the VRA was also conducting maintenance activities on its facilities at the Aboaze Thermal Enclave. These activities commenced on October 30, 2021 and ended on Thursday, November, 11, 2021.

This means that following the startup of its facilities at the Aboaze Thermal Enclave, the VRA had to shut down its operations on Saturday, November 20, 2021, due to a gas leak within its fence. This happened a day after the Ghana Gas Company was back on-stream.

This means that Ghana Gas Company was ready to supply gas to the VRA to power its plants at the Aboaze enclave on November 22, 2021.

The Asset Integrity & Maintenance Manager of Ghana Gas Company, Richmond Alamu who also doubles as the company’s Staff Association Chairman, when contacted, confirmed the numerous measures management undertook to get the company back in track.

However, Mr.Alamu said, despite all their efforts, as at November 22 to 1st December,2021, Ghana Gas Company was still waiting to supply gas to the VRA, operations at the VRA Aboaze Thermal Enclave had not commenced from their repair of the gas leak only leaving Karpowership for the intake of gas for power generation.

Mr.Richmond Alamu stated that even within that period Ghana Gas has to assist VRA with some ball valves and flanges to reduce time in VRA sourcing for the procurement of these items so VRA return to Operations early. VRA also does supply parts to our company when Ghana Gas is in urgent need of some parts we don’t have and thats the mutual understanding we all have to make sure we all running to provide power to Ghanaians.

The VRA on December 1, 2021, announced that it has successfully completed maintenance works on its leaked gas network in the Aboaze enclave in the Western Region which, had hitherto, been a hindrance in connecting some communities in the country with electricity.

GRIDCO,VRA and ECG apologised to Otumfuo and the people of Asanteman in a Press Conference on Friday, December 3, 2021, on the recent power cuts.

The Managing Director of ECG Mr. Kwame Agyemang Badu and GRIDCO’s Director for Northern Services Network, Ing.Vincent Boachie, said power supply was stable in the Ashanti Region until the tower collapsed and assured that all efforts are in place for power supply to return to normalcy by December 20, 2021 to Asanteman.