WAPCo postpones planned pipeline maintenance

The West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo) has postponed its scheduled pipeline maintenance for two weeks, averting an imminent power crisis in the country.

This latest development comes after intense negotiations led by a technical committee established by Chief of Staff Julius Debrah to tackle the impending crisis in the energy sector.

The mandatory maintenance operation, initially set to run from January 20 to February 16, 2025, involves cleaning, inspecting, and replacing sub-sea valves along the pipeline.

However, GRIDCo warned that ongoing fuel shortages for thermal plants, combined with the disruption in gas supply from the pipeline, would severely cripple Ghana’s power generation capacity.

At a meeting involving WAPCo representatives, GRIDCo officials, and the technical committee, the stakeholders deliberated on the potential impact of the maintenance on the national grid.

Concerns were raised about the possible reintroduction of power outages, which could disrupt businesses and household power needs across the country.

Subsequently, WAPCo finally agreed to postpone the maintenance to allow authorities more time to secure alternative fuel supplies and stabilise electricity generation.