Ghana Braces for Nationwide Power Cuts as Eni Suspends Gas Plant Operations
Ghana is preparing for significant power disruptions as Italian energy giant Eni temporarily shuts down operations at a crucial gas plant to implement a major supply increase. The West African nation, which relies heavily on the facility for electricity generation, announced the planned suspension will begin Sunday.
The temporary halt is part of Eni’s ambitious plan to boost natural gas supply by 30 million standard cubic feet per day, bringing total output to 270 million standard cubic feet daily. However, the upgrade work will severely impact gas availability for power generation across the country.
Energy Minister John Jinapor warned residents during a Monday event in Kumasi that Ghana was “likely to experience some interactions or interruption of power” while the plant remains offline. The minister assured citizens that once the upgrade is complete, the country will “stabilize supply of gas, increase gas production and that will improve the delivery of power.”
The Offshore Cape Three Points project, located off Ghana’s Atlantic Coast, currently meets 65% of the country’s energy demand, making the temporary shutdown particularly significant for Africa’s second-largest cocoa producer.
Ghana has been aggressively ramping up oil and gas production to increase revenues and prevent fossil fuel assets from becoming stranded. The current upgrade represents a critical step in this strategy, despite the short-term disruption to power supply.
Source: reuters.com
