Ghana’s power sector entities, GRIDCo and ECG, have jointly addressed the public regarding disruptions to power supply caused by ongoing maintenance activities on the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP).
This follows the West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo) announcing the cleaning and inspection of a 56-kilometre onshore pipeline section between Itoki and Badagry in Nigeria—a crucial part of the West African Gas Pipeline—which has been progressing steadily. However, the process revealed unexpected complications.
During the cleaning exercise, a larger-than-expected volume of liquids and debris was received at the Lagos Beach Compressor Station,” WAPCo stated.
These findings caused operational disturbances, necessitating a temporary shutdown of Ghana’s Tema Regulatory & Metering Station.
The company emphasised that the shutdown was essential for safety and further investigations.
The impact of WAPCo’s operational challenges has extended to Ghana’s power supply.
According to a joint release from the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the shutdown of the Tema station has forced the temporary closure of some thermal power plants in Tema, leading to a shortfall in electricity generation.
“This has caused a shortfall in power supply, requiring some limited load management in parts of the country,” the statement read.
GRIDCo and ECG expressed confidence in WAPCo’s efforts to resolve the issue despite the challenges.
“We are optimistic that WAPCo will soon resolve the challenge and restore gas supply,” they said.
Once gas supply resumes, power will be fully restored to affected areas.
We express our gratitude to our key stakeholders for their patience during this process and apologize for any inconvenience caused,” the company stated.
The situation underscores the interconnected nature of gas supply and electricity generation in Ghana and across West Africa.
The maintenance of the WAGP, while essential for long-term reliability, has highlighted the importance of robust contingency plans for such critical infrastructure.
WAPCo is currently conducting investigations and addressing the operational issues that arose during the cleaning process.
Both GRIDCo and ECG assured customers that they are monitoring the situation closely and will provide updates as necessary.
In the meantime, affected customers are urged to conserve power where possible and stay informed through official updates from the power providers.