ECG Installs High-Capacity Transformer To Deal With Power Supply Shortfalls In Greater Kumasi
Engineers from the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) have successfully installed a high-capacity transformer at the production side of the Anwomaso Bulk Supply Point to meet the current and future electricity demands in Greater Kumasi.
The installation of the 145 mega-volt amperes transformer on Wednesday, February 12 to replace the existing 66 mva transformer has been hailed as the right step to partly solve the current erratic power supply being experienced in the Ashanti region.
General Manager of Ashanti Sub-Transmission, Ing. Peter Fletcher, revealed that that the electricity supply in Agona, Mampong, Bekwai, Kuntenase, Ejisu, and Effiduase, among others, will be impacted positively by the new installation.
“We are upgrading a particular transformer from 66 MVA to 145 MVA at the Gridco end. Basically what this means is that we are increasing electricity capacity in Kumasi to meet the current demand and future demands,” he said.
“We realized even in Kumasi, the developed areas some structures are eve springing up; storey buildings are coming up and you know Kumasi as well is spreading.
Looking at the existing capacity we have, it was really tight so this work that we are doing is to increase the capacity at this particular BST (Bulk Supply Point) to meet the demands currently and future demands” Ing. Fletcher added.
The 66 MVA transformers at Anwomaso Bulk Supply Point until now were sometimes stretched to their maximum loading capacity due to an increase in demand at peak times.
The new 145 mega-volt amperes transformer, which replaces one of the 66 MVA transformers, is to help improve supply capacity and reliability.
Engineers from both Gridco and the ECG have been working to lay all cables, energize, and install the transformer to make it readily available for use.
Officials of ECG hope the installation of the new transformer will also allow easier transfer of customers from Ridge Bulk Supply Point in case of fault management.
General Manager of Ashanti Sub-Transmission, Ing. Peter Fletcher, told Joynews the installation of the new transformer will, to a large extent, partly help solve the erratic power supply experience in the Ashanti region.
“This is not to say that it will entirely eliminate pockets of outages. We are running the lines where we have transformers, connecting points, poles, and all that. Where 3rd parties are hitting our lines, knocking our poles all the time, and all that, this may still persist, but in terms of loading, where because of a fault power cannot be supplied, we can comfortably transfer; where because of demand we cannot even supply, now we have enough capacity here to supply.
“So for that one, we assure the people of Kumasi that for transfer of loads due to faults and all that, we can comfortably do it,” he assured.
Meanwhile, Ing. Fletcher is courting public support in dealing with third-party interference on ECG installations, which he says goes a long way to affect the power supply chain.
He mentioned particularly eight high-voltage pylons being toppled in Ejisu following the removal of bolts and nuts at their bases by miscreants, transformers, and both overhead and underground cables, among others.
Ing. Fletcher wants the general public to be vigilant in reporting all suspicious movements and activities at such installations to ECG through their toll-free lines.
The installation of the new high-capacity transformer follows an agreement between ECG and Gridco in May 2024.
Credit: Ohemeng Tawiah
