Government has rejected claims by Joy FM that Ghana is experiencing a power generation deficit, describing the assertion as “misleading” and inconsistent with the realities of how electricity systems operate.
In a rejoinder issued by Richmond Rockson, spokesperson for the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, officials argued that the analysis relied on a “static snapshot of data” that fails to capture the dynamic nature of power supply management.
“Power supply is dynamic. It is managed in real time to respond to hourly, daily, and seasonal fluctuations,” he explained, cautioning against drawing broad conclusions from isolated data points.
According to the statement, Ghana’s installed generation capacity stands at just under 6,000 megawatts, while peak demand ranges between 4,300 and 4,400 megawatts. This, the government says, clearly indicates that there is no structural shortfall in electricity generation.
Officials emphasised that system operators routinely rely on established tools such as dispatch optimisation, fuel switching, and reserve deployment to balance supply and demand. These measures, they noted, are standard operational practices rather than indicators of system failure.
Temporary Disruptions, Not System Failure
Addressing recent outages, the government pointed to disruptions linked to the Akosombo Dam system, describing the incident as a temporary shock rather than evidence of a broader crisis.
“The recent loss of capacity… was a temporary shock, not evidence of systemic failure,” the statement noted, adding that restoration efforts are already underway, with a significant portion of capacity back online.
The government further disclosed that nearly 1,000 megawatts of new generation capacity has been approved, alongside plans to procure a 200-megawatt battery storage system to enhance grid stability and manage peak demand.
These measures, combined with ongoing interventions to address distribution bottlenecks, are expected to strengthen the resilience of the power sector.
The statement concluded that Ghana’s current challenges lie more in reserve margins and distribution infrastructure than in generation capacity itself.
“Ghana does not lack generation capacity. The challenges are known and being addressed,” Mr Rockson said, stressing that claims of a generation deficit oversimplify a complex system and risk misinforming the public.
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