Energy sector not advancing enough – ACEP

The Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), Benjamin Boakye, has expressed concerns over the state of the country’s energy sector.

According to him, the country currently relies on approximately 150 megawatts, leading to ongoing load shedding across major cities, commonly referred to as Dumsor.

“The power sector is not as robust as we need it to be, and therefore we face these kinds of challenges. We currently have a deficit, which is not as significant as it was a couple of months ago; we now have about 150 megawatts of load to share,” he said while discussing the frequent power outages in the country on Monday, November 4, 2024.

Mr Boakye added that low voltages and total power outages sometimes occur due to the energy sector’s inability to manage the situation effectively.

“The reality is that the system also has a deficit that needs to be managed, and from our [ACEP] tracking, the power providers are moving it around quickly, creating the impression that we have enough, but it is actually not sufficient.”

He criticised the power suppliers for not communicating the correct information to the public regarding power consumption. He urged the sector to keep the public informed about load-sharing situations to prevent businesses from being adversely affected.

“That is why it is important to communicate these matters properly, share the loads, and provide optimal power to those who have it, so they can be productive,” he said.

Regarding the ongoing issue of Dumsor in the country, Ben also attributed it to financial deficits. He stated, “It is not the job of the Ministry of Finance to pay the electricity bills; it is the responsibility of those managing the sector to ensure that revenues can be collected, so the budget does not bear the burden of paying for people’s electricity bills.”

The country’s major industries that depend on the energy sector continue to struggle for stable power. Over the years, many businesses, including domestic consumers, have lost valuable items and services due to power outages.

ACEP is one of the independent institutions advocating for transparency and accuracy in the energy sector.