Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) Engineer William Amuna says the company is upgrading its equipment nationwide to enhance operational reliability at all of its bulk supply points.
He told a select group of media personnel visiting the plant that GRIDCo is replacing obsolete and faulty components of the transmission network while improving on its flexibility in the operations of the power systems.
Also present was Fred Oware, the Chief Executive Officer of the Bui Power Authority.
Ing. Amuna gave the scope of work being done as covering Achimota, Winneba, Cape Coast and Takoradi, adding that “the second pack includes Obuasi, Kumasi, Akwatia, Old Kpong, Tafo and Dunkwa”.
He was optimistic that work on the Achimota substation will be completed this year, “and the place will no longer be flooded each time it rains as we have it now.”
GRIDCo has installed circuit breakers and disconnect switches and feeder breakers with a sound feeder structure.
Other projects due for completion in 2017 are Cape Coast, Takoradi, Winneba, Old Kpong and Aflao.
He said work was ongoing to ensure that the power link between Ghana and Burkina Faso was completed on time, adding that this will facilitate a full link to the West Africa Power Pool.
Ing. Amuna said GRIDCo has embarked on a number of strategic initiatives including the acquisition of land for all future projects while racking up a Back Up Control Center.
He indicated that the $60 million owed the company will mean a lot if some of its immediate stakeholders and suppliers pay up their debts.
The liquidity challenges facing the company, Ing. Amuna said, was impairing the working capital base of the company and its general operations level.
“It also delays debts servicing, creates a breach of financial covenant ratios with our various financiers while delaying the payment of operational expenses including our statutory payments to suppliers, service providers and our staff.”
The GRIDCo boss was not happy about delayed and unpaid right of way compensations, which he indicated affects project implementation and heavily impairs the several maintenance works that need to be done to ensure that there is an efficient power supply regime.
Ing. Amuna announced the conclusion of talks with officials of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) towards the establishment of a multi-purpose state-of-the-art GRIDCo Centre of Excellence that will ramp up the development of personnel to the nation’s engineering manpower needs including GRIDCo.
“The GRIDCo Centre of Excellence will include an electricity museum, hall of residence, outdoor training field,” he said, noting that this will go to add up to personnel currently being trained by the KNUST itself.
By Gideon Sackitey|3news.com|Ghana