Ghana’s energy sector is grappling with mounting challenges as major electricity producers—Karpowership Energy, AKSA Energy, and Cenit Energy Limited—scale down their power supply, effective Monday, November 25, 2024. This development raises fears of widespread blackouts for businesses and households, especially as the festive season approaches.
Currently, both Amandi Energy and Karpowership have halted their operations entirely, while AKSA Energy has slashed its output from 370MW to a mere 58MW. These reductions have created an estimated 450MW shortfall on the national grid, intensifying concerns over the country’s energy reliability.
The situation is further aggravated by shutdowns from Sunon Asogli and Amandi Energy, two key Independent Power Producers (IPPs). Sunon Asogli cites the Electricity Company of Ghana’s (ECG) failure to pay outstanding debts as the reason for its shutdown. Meanwhile, the government has attributed Amandi Energy’s suspension of operations to ongoing maintenance, though no timeline for completion has been provided.
Last week, Dr. Elikplim Kwabla Apetorgbor, CEO of the Chamber of Independent Power Producers, warned that if debts remain unpaid, three additional power plants could cease operations imminently. This looming financial crisis has deepened the nation’s power woes, resulting in frequent outages—commonly referred to as dumsor—and causing significant disruptions to economic activities.
In response to the crisis, the ECG has reportedly adopted a weekly payment schedule, shifting from its usual monthly disbursements, in an effort to settle arrears with Sunon Asogli and other power producers.
With the festive season fast approaching, all eyes are on the government and stakeholders to see whether these measures can stabilize electricity supply and prevent a full-blown energy crisis.
