ECG begins GH¢240m transformer upgrading

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has begun replacing and upgrading transformers in parts of Accra to improve and provide a reliable power supply to customers.

The installation works, expected to cost the company about GH¢240 million, would cover eight substations at places such as Nmai Dzorn, Lashibi, Trade Fair, Borteyman and the Teshie Nungua enclave, as well as the Spintex Road, Adentan and Denu enclaves, which have already been completed.

Following that, another exercise to replace one transformer would be carried out in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.

The ECG General Manager in charge of Subtransmissions Operations in the Accra Area, Francis Kofi Atsyatsya, made this known during an interaction with the media yesterday ahead of the start of the exercise scheduled to begin today,  at the Nmai Dzorn Substation under phase one.

Areas

About 20 communities, including parts of Nmai Dzorn, Nanakrom, School Junction, Fair Heaven, University farms and surrounding areas, East Legon Hills, Santoe, Borteyman and surrounding areas, Rojo Roso, Lakeside Community, New Legon and surrounding areas, Soja Line, ECG Village, Katamanso, Amanfrom, Paradise Estate, Regimanuel, Adom Gate and surrounding areas, Japan Motors, Lakeside Community 1 & 5 and Little Roses, would benefit from the exercise.

Capacity, impact

At the Nmai Dzorn Primary Substation, for instance, Mr Atsyatsya said the exercise would involve upgrading the transformer from 20/26 megavolt-amperes (MVA) to 30/39 MVA.

“We are doing this project to increase capacity at the substation, to increase reliability, improve efficiency such that customers within the enclave would enjoy reliable supply, very good voltage and also in preparation to get new customers connected to the substation,” he said.

He indicated that the estimated cost for the project at the eight stations would be GH¢240 million, and the company would fund it entirely.

Mr Atsyatsya said Nmai Dzorn and its environs were fast-growing areas.

So the exercise was to position the substation to address customer demand by ensuring sufficient capacity to supply their homes.

“We just want to assure customers in this enclave that they should be reassured.

Although there will be some impact of load management, we are very confident that within these two days, we will be able to complete this work and all of them will enjoy a reliable supply,” he said.

Mr Atsyatsya said there would not be a total blackout and that, to minimise the impact, a programme comprising four groups of customers had been developed, with each group experiencing a six-hour outage during the period of the work.

Significant

The acting Director of Communications of the ECG, Dr Charles Nii Ayiku Ayiku, said it was significant to visit the project site to appreciate the work to be undertaken and the company's readiness for that matter.

“We are upgrading from 20/26 MVA to 30/39 MVA, which is a huge upgrade.

So our customers should expect better, more reliable power and frequent outages and transformer overloads should be a thing of the past.

“This is the first phase and we will also move to other substations where this exercise will take place.

We want to inform our customers that we appreciate their patience as we undertake this exercise.

Of course, there will be some disruptions due to this exercise.

We apologise for the inconvenience,” he said and expressed the hope that customers would enjoy reliable power after the exercise.