All have role in stopping power rationing — EC
The Energy Commission (EC) has pointed out that all members of the public have a role to play in stopping the power rationing currently being practised in the country.
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It has, accordingly, advised the public to stop wasting energy, stressing, “It’s possible to use far less energy than we are using now.”
The Board Chairman of the EC, Dr Kwame Ampofo, gave the advice at the Greater Accra Regional launch of the “Save a Watt” campaign, an energy saving campaign under the auspices of the EC, in Accra yesterday.
The “Save a Watt” campaign train, which took off last June, has run through all the regional capitals, with Accra being the final destination.
Even though Dr Ampofo said the energy crisis could be addressed with good planning and investment, he noted that “in the interim there is a role for all to play”.
The imperatives
According to Dr Ampofo, about 160 megawatts (MW) of energy went waste, equivalent to the capacity of the Kpone Power Station.
The implication, he said, was that under the circumstances, the generation of energy from the Kpone Power Station only went to offset the waste in the system.
But if consumers are able to deal with the waste, as Dr Ampofo is admonishing them to do, then the 160MW generated by the Kpone Power Station will be injected into the system.
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The EC Board Chairman cited the “Switch off the Freezer” energy conservation campaign during the period of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, saying about 70MW was saved through that initiative.
Currently, the national energy shortfall is 300MW.
According to Dr Ampofo, that deficit could be redeemed in two main ways — if consumers switched off their refrigerators during peak hours, and by building a 300MW power plant, which would come at a cost of about $600 million.
Economic implication
The Executive Secretary of the EC, Dr Alfred Ofosu Ahenkorah, said saving energy had serious economic implications, given the fact that the availability of energy had a positive impact on economic growth.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo, said power outages had impacted negatively on economic activities in the country and urged all to join the energy conservation campaign.
A renowned Ghanaian musician, Kojo Antwi, who is playing a key role in the campaign as the Energy Conservation Ambassador, thrilled the audience with some of his popular songs.
He said light was a precious resource from God because before creation when the earth was full of darkness, He commanded: “Let there be light!” and there was light.
“We should learn to control our gadgets; do not allow your gadgets to control you,” he advised.
Students of the Medie Junior High School at Amasaman performed a short drama to educate the gathering on energy conservation practices.
Writer’s Email: kofi.yeboah@graphic.com.gh