GRIDCo to construct 5th feeder in Kumasi for improved power reliability

Kumasi is set for a major boost in electricity supply as the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) moves to complete the construction of a fifth feeder by the end of the year.

This critical intervention is expected to ease pressure on the existing network and improve power reliability for more than 1.5 million households and businesses across the Ashanti Region.

A high-level delegation from the Ghana Grid Company and the Electricity Company of Ghana, together with the Ashanti regional minister, inspected ongoing power upgrade projects in the Ashanti Region.

At the Ridge substation, the team assessed the progress of work on the installation of a new higher-capacity transformer to meet the growing demands for electricity supply.

The replacement of the new transformer of 145mVA capacity is prompting the construction of a new feeder, which GRIDCo says would add 80 megawatts of power supply in Kumasi.

“We are working to add a fifth feeder. This would add to the transformer and increase the capacity to serve demand. And we project by December that work would be done.

"This would add an additional approximately 80MW capacity to the existing substation at Ridge,” Chief Executive Officer of GRIDCo, Ing Frank Asirifi Otchere, said.

The upgrade of a 161kV transmission line from Anwomaso to Ahodwo is progressing steadily, with engineers currently stringing sixty towers between the two substations.

"We thought to increase the capacity of the lines that connect Anwomaso to Ridge to enable more power to flow. The old-line circuit was about 360 mW capacitor.

"The new line is approximately 1000 mW capacitor. This would increase the capacity of the infrastructure in Kumasi. The contractor has completely decommissioned the whole transformer and its towers,” Ing. Otchere added.

In collaboration with the Electricity Company of Ghana, the ongoing power infrastructure upgrades are expected to cause a month-long intermittent and localized power cuts.

But the power providers maintain the exercise is necessary to improve reliability of power supply to the region.

Meanwhile, power consumers are being assured of timely and effective communication on planned outages to minimise disruptions and align them for the acute shortage.

Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene noted a joint team from the power providers, information service department and the regional coordinating council, will be deployed to relay communication on the planned outage across affected communities.