The Power Planning Technical Committee (PPTC), the body set up by the Energy Ministry responsible for the drafting of the 2022 Electricity Supply Plan, has debunked claims by the Ranking Member of Parliament on Mines and Energy Committee that the country is heading for load-shedding (dumsor).
According to the committee, there is no such risk.
A statement issued and signed by its Chairman, Ing Frank Otchere, reacted to a number of issues raised by the Ranking Member, John Jinapor, pertaining to the power sector.
Mr. Jinapor claimed existing generation capacities will not be adequate to serve the projected demand with 18% reserve margins for any of the planning years.
He used this to predict an imminent return of ‘dumsor’.
The Committee, however, explained that per the 2022 Electricity Supply Plan (ESP), the country has a total installed generation capacity of 5,265.1 megawatts (MW), with a dependable capacity of 4,706 MW.
With a projected annual peak demand going up to 4,793MW in 2026, the committee stated that it is obvious that both the installed capacity and dependable capacity are in excess of peak demand, and, therefore, there cannot be imminent ‘dumsor’ as being portrayed.
The Committee explained further that ‘dumsor’ only occurs when the actual demand is higher than what the system is able to generate.
It clarified that the additional demand recommended in its report is only required to provide extra capacity to serve as a reserve.
The Committee noted that in recommending further generation capacity between 2023 and 2027, a total of 822 MW only refers to a sensitivity analysis on the capacity requirement in the event that the Bui Hydro Plant is able to run only on two units instead of three during the peak period.
“This situation is rare, and was analysed only as a sensitivity scenario in the unlikely event of such a situation,” the statement added.
Mr. Jinapor also claimed that the report negates the argument that Ghana has excess gas leading to capacity payments.
The Committee, however, said the recommendation of the Electricity Supply Plan 2022 for arrangements to increase gas supply does not imply procuring new gas facilities.
Rather, it was only alerting that demand is growing and, therefore, there was the need to make arrangements to increase volumes of gas supplied from the existing gas facilities.
The Committee reiterated there is no imminent ‘dumsor’ as had been alleged and added that there is capacity available to increase gas supply for extra generation in Ghana.
Source: Mypublisher24.com