Load Shedding: VRA, GRIDCo, ECG Shirk Responsibility

The Volta River Authority, Ghana Grid Company and Electricity Company of Ghana have each refused to accept responsibility for the recent power outages being experienced in some areas of the capital, Accra. Power distributor, Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), told Joy News it has had to cut down power because of supply shortfall from the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDco). ECG Public Relations Officer, William Boateng told Joy News supply of power would be interrupted as and when GRIDCo prompts. He explained that due to the emergency nature of the exercise, they are unable to plan and give prior notice to consumers. On the other hand, GRIDCo told Joy News impromptu power cut is due to failure of power generators to meet the rising demand. Public Relations Manager at GRIDCo, Albert Quainoo said the company has no challenge on its network which availability hovers around 98.7%. �If the supply is not adequate, it translates into load shedding... We have had challenges from the producers and this is what is translating into the load management that we are experiencing out there.� But the Volta River Authority (VRA) has stated categorically that it is not carrying out any load shedding. In fact the Authority says it has enough power supply and even surplus in stock, Head of Corporate Communications at the VRA Samuel Fletcher told Joy News. The problem could not be coming from the VRA, he suggested. �That is not true�, he rejected claims that VRA is having challenges with supply. �We are expecting a peak load of 1970 megawatts, and this is very current information from the GRIDCo control centre, we can meet that and have a reserve of between 80 and 132 megawatts.� �We are not shedding load,� Mr Fletcher remarked, adding that power going off in certain areas does not mean there is not enough supply. The problem could have been occasioned by faulty transformers, he surmised. �As far as generation is concerned, we have enough,� he stressed.