Business News of Wednesday, 7 August 2024

Source: Ministry of Energy

Constant electricity supply is my priority - Herbert Krapa

Herbert Krapa, Minister of Energy Herbert Krapa, Minister of Energy

The Minister of State at the Ministry of Energy, Mr. Herbert Krapa, has assured the nation that the government will continue to work diligently to maintain a steady supply of electricity for domestic, commercial, and industrial use.

He emphasised the ministry's proactive approach in maintaining constant communication with energy sector players to address challenges promptly, ensuring sufficient and uninterrupted power generation. "Constant electricity supply is my priority," Mr. Krapa stated.

Mr. Krapa provided this assurance during a media interaction while on a working visit to the Aboadze Energy Enclave in Sekondi, Western Region. Accompanied by ministry technocrats, he toured the West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo), Amandi Energy Plant, and the Volta River Authority (VRA) facilities, including the Tiko, Taka, and T3 plants.

When asked about the purpose of his visit, Mr. Krapa explained, "I came to see these facilities for myself, engage with the engineers, and understand any issues so we can address them back in Accra to ensure sufficient power generation."

During the visit, Mr. Krapa and his team were briefed by engineers and given tours of each plant.

He commended the management and engineers for their efforts in keeping the systems running smoothly and ensuring reliable power generation.

"The Ghanaian people rely on us to keep the lights on, and it all comes from power generation," he remarked.

At the Ghana Gas processing plant in Atuabo, it was revealed that a 17-day planned maintenance shutdown was underway for the replacement and maintenance of some components.

Despite the shutdown being on its second day, the power supply remained unaffected due to alternative arrangements. Mr. Krapa commented, "The lights are on across the country because of the careful planning that went into this process."

Regarding the anticipated major maintenance shutdown of the Amandi plant in November, Mr. Krapa explained that such outages are usually planned a year in advance. "Last November, we met with all the players at Royal Senchi and planned these maintenance outages," he said.

However, he noted that the upcoming maintenance for Amandi was an emergency that arose after the initial planning.

He assured that the ministry would collaborate with plant managers to ensure both the safety of the plant, and the continuous provision of energy are balanced, stating, "The decision will be taken to meet both important variables for generation."