EMERGENCY LOAD SHEDDING IN TWIN-CITY (PAGE 29)

The Twin-City of Sekondi/Takoradi in the Western Region has been affected by emergency load shedding as a result of a fault on one of the two transformers of the Volta River Authority (VRA) near Keten that supplies the metropolis with power.
This has resulted in the reduction of supply of the required energy needs of the metropolis and therefore, until the fault is rectified the metropolis would have to bear with the temporary load shedding.
The total consumption for the metropolis is estimated at 13 megawatts but it has been reduced by four megawatts, which necessitated the move to shed load to ensure a continuous supply of power for the sake of commerce and industry in the metropolis.
At the moment, customers in the metropolis have been categorised into two and given scheduled dates where power would be switched off from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m
In Group A, Sekondi, Kojokrom, Sofokrom, Inchaban, Shama, Aboadze, Abuesi, Windy Ridge, Telecom, Post Office Market Circle, Monkey Hill, East Tanokrom, TTI, Effiakuma Zongo, Effia, Skyy FM, Collins Avenue, Esikafoabentem No 1, Nkroful Junction, Pass Timbers, Pekungdom, Archibishop Porter Girls, Fijai and Kweikuma.
Group B comprises Sekondi Ridge, Kofikrom, SSNIT Flats, Anaji Estates, Windy Ridge Extension, Shell, Sekondi Road, New Takoradi Western Casting, Wamco 1 and 2, Prime Wood, Fuwuco, Rad Timbers, New Site, T-Poly, West Ridge, Tanokrom, Bankyease, Tadisco, Star Hotel, Anaji trotro station, BoG Esikafoabentem No 2 & 3, SIC, Chapel Hill and Kokompe.
The Regional Public Relations Manager of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Mr Adjei Larbi, told the Daily Graphic that they decided on the 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. because during the day many people would be going about their business activities, therefore, the demand would not be that high.
"In the night everybody is at home and the demand becomes high, therefore, we have to chose the night in order to save enough to last us until the problem is fixed," he said.
He said the VRA’s team of experts were seriously working on the problem and would soon restore their regular supply to ECG to restore the deficit of four megawatts for it to resume regular supply to consumers.
He used the opportunity to advise customer to ensure that all electrical gadgets that they did not have immediate use of were switched off to ensure that enough energy was conserved prior to the fixing of the problem.
"I must also say that the load shedding is only affecting the Sekondi/Takoradi metropolis and not the whole Western Region as been speculated," the PRO said.