President Akufo-Addo has reassured the nation that Ghana will never experience the return of “Dumsor,” a term used to describe the erratic power supply that plagued the country in previous years.
According to the president, under his government, electricity is no longer a privilege in Ghana like it was before he came to power.
Akufo-Addo, who made these remarks at the commissioning of a 161-kilovolt GRIDCo, Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) Bulk Power Supply Point, could not help but jab his predecessor, John Dramani Mahama, who he accused of being responsible for ‘dumsor’.
“Our daily lives, from simple things such as charging our mobile phones, and keeping our electrical appliances working, to operating our offices and businesses, are run by electric power.
“Electricity is no longer a luxury but rather a necessity in this day and age, and we must commit ourselves to working hard to ensure that we achieve universal coverage in this country in order to spur on rapid rates of economic growth,”
“… I wish to reassure you all that my government will continue to work towards “Keeping the Lights on”, in spite of the global dynamics of energy pricing, because the alternative is not an option. We are not going back to dumsor, we leave that to President Mahama,” he said.
On the 161-kilovolt GRIDCo, ECG Bulk Power Supply Point, which was constructed under the Project for the Reinforcement of Power Supply to Accra Central, Akufo Addo said that it (the supply point) would help ensure the heart of the nation, Accra, keeps beating.
“It is evident that the execution of the Accra Central BSP project is consistent with the country’s power needs and development, with a GDP growth rate of up to fifteen per cent (15%) around the time of project preparation,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo continued, “The project we are commissioning today is a one hundred and sixty-one kilo-Volt Bulk Supply Point, which delivers on the government’s commitment to “Keep the Lights On”. It also guarantees stable, reliable and regular supply of electricity for the busy and bustling Accra Central Business District and surrounding areas.”
About Accra Central Bulk Supply Point:
This Bulk Supply Point is a gas-insulated sub-station, which is GRIDCo’s first sub-station with such technology. This is an innovation in technology applied in areas where spaces are significantly limited, thus large capacity switchgear and transformers, which are compact, can be installed.
The benefits of this Accra Central Bulk Supply Point, amongst many others, are to reduce transmission and distribution losses, ensure high reliability of electricity supply, and ensure a high level of personnel safety.
With the operationalisation of the Accra Central BSP, power voltages have become stable (protecting valuable equipment), power supply reliability has improved, and, with this, efficiency has been restored, reducing system losses as required by the regulator, Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC).