ENERGY
5.13
DIFFICULT
ACCESS
TO
SECURE
AND
QUALITY
ENERGY
SUPPLY
The
Electricity
Company
of
Ghana
(ECG)
is
responsible
for
the
distribution
of
power
generated
by
the
VRA.
VRA
generates
the
power
at
a
very
high
voltage
and
the
ECG
distributes
it
to
consumers
at
a
lower
voltage.
To
ensure
that
energy
supply
is
secure,
ECG
is
increasing
circuit
capacity,
replacing
outmoded
switchgear
and
panels,
building
more
redundancies
into
the
system
and
installing
shunt
capacitor
banks
to
help
improve
voltage
profiles
and
to
eliminate
flicker.
The
ECG
is
also
installing
prepaid
meters
in
all
its
areas
of
operations
and
installing
Local
Area
Network
(LAN)
and
Wide
Area
Network
(WAN)
for
effective
data
transfer
and
networking
among
the
vending
stations.
To
ensure
sustainability,
the
ECG
is
training
its
staff,
setting
attainable
targets
and
educating
the
consumer.
ECG
also
notes
that
it
is
educating
the
general
public
on
the
effects
and
consequences
of
cable
and
conductor
thefts
as
well
as
negotiating
with
government
to
pass
legislation
to
ensure
that
in
every
developed
area,
space
will
be
created
for
the
building
of
substations
or
power
stations.
5.13.1
Increased
Maintenance
and
Introduction
of
New
Power
Stations
The
Energy
Commission
has
completed
two
(2)
new
power
stations,
three
(3)
are
under
construction
and
one
(1)
is
yet
to
be
started
but
for
which
license
has
been
given.
The
Ministry
of
Energy
pointed
out
that
although
power
plants
have
been
built,
most
of
them
are
on
stand
by
because
the
water
level
at
the
Akosombo
Dam
is
now
high
and
is
providing
enough
energy
for
the
country.
Also,
most
of
the
power
plants
were
built
with
the
hope
that
the
gas
from
the
West
African
Gas
Pipeline
(WAGP)
will
be
available
but
there
have
been
delays
and
so
should
the
power
plant
operate,
they
will
have
to
use
crude
oil
which
is
quite
expensive
at
the
moment.
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