The Public Utility Workers’ Union (PUWU) has emphasised that the system operator, Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo), should explain the shortage in the power supply that is causing the erratic power supply (otherwise known as Dumsor) in the country.
The general secretary of PUWU, Michael Adumatta Nyantakyi, in an interview with Alfred Ocansey, host of TV3’s Ghana Tonight programme, indicated that GRIDCo has data on the quantum of power to distribute at any given time.
In a statement yesterday [Thursday, March 28], the union called on the regulator, the Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC), to investigate supply data from the GRIDCo, stressing that the faulty 630 ECG transformers cannot be the reason for the erratic power supply in the country because the power distributor has over 33,000 transformers within its operation area.
“GRIDCo has data on the quantum of power that is available at any point in time. So they are the ones who can tell that today or tomorrow we are going to get only 300, 500 or 600 [of power supply], and that will be the basis on which any timetable can be drawn,” he said.
Michael Adumatta continued by stating that “the position we are postulating is that the 630 transformers cannot be the cause of the erratic power we are experiencing. So the regulator who has the mandate or the authority should be able to get the service operator, that is GRIDCo to give us all the relevant data that will really enable any objective person to assess what is happening.”
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According to him, based on the data from GRIDCo, ECG and the PURC can tell if there should be load shedding.
Meanwhile, PURC is likely to sanction ECG for not complying with the directive to publish a load management schedule to assist businesses and individuals in planning effectively.
According to the director of research and corporate affairs at the PURC, Dr. Eric Kofi Obutey, the penalty varies depending on the offense, saying, “It varies from a fine not exceeding 500 penalty units or a surcharge to the utility service provider,” amongst other punitive measures.
However, Mr. Obutey maintained that he does not speak for the board and thus cannot state the sanctions that will be applied in the case of the ECG.
