The West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo) has agreed to reschedule its planned pipeline maintenance by two weeks, helping the government avert a potential power crisis in Ghana.This decision follows intense negotiations led by a technical committee established by Chief of Staff Julius Debrah to address the looming energy challenge.

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The maintenance, initially set to begin this week, was flagged by the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) as a serious threat to the country’s electricity supply. GRIDCo warned that the combined effect of ongoing fuel shortages for thermal plants and the disruption in gas supply from the pipeline would severely undermine Ghana’s power generation capacity.

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In a report, GRIDCo highlighted that critical funds are needed to procure liquid fuels to keep thermal power plants operational during the upcoming West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) pigging exercise, which is now scheduled from January 20 to February 16, 2025.

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The pigging exercise, originally planned for October 2024 but rescheduled at the Ministry of Energy's request, was set to temporarily halt gas offtake from WAPCo’s pipeline in Togo, Benin, and Tema. This would have left thermal plants in Tema without their usual gas supply, forcing plants that cannot switch to liquid fuels to shut down, thereby reducing power generation capacity.

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At a high-level meeting involving WAPCo representatives, GRIDCo officials, and the technical committee, the stakeholders deliberated on the potential impact of the maintenance on the national grid. Concerns were raised about the possible reintroduction of power outages, which could disrupt businesses and households across the country.

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Following these discussions, WAPCo agreed to delay the maintenance, giving authorities more time to secure alternative fuel supplies and stabilize electricity generation.

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