Engineers from the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) have successfully installed a high-capacity transformer at the production side of the Anwomaso Bulk Supply Point to meet the current and future electricity demands in Greater Kumasi.
The installation of the 145 mega-volt amperes transformer on Wednesday, February 12, to replace the existing 66 MVA transformer has been hailed as a key step in partly solving the current erratic power supply being experienced in the Ashanti region.
General Manager of Ashanti Sub-Transmission, Ing. Peter Fletcher, revealed that the electricity supply in Agona, Mampong, Bekwai, Kuntenase, Ejisu, and Effiduase, among others, will be positively impacted by the new installation.
“We are upgrading a particular transformer from 66 MVA to 145 MVA at the GRIDCo end. Essentially, this means we are increasing electricity capacity in Kumasi to meet both current and future demands,” he said.
“We realized that even in Kumasi, developed areas are seeing structures springing up; storey buildings are being constructed, and Kumasi is expanding. Looking at the existing capacity we had, it was really tight. This work we are doing is to increase the capacity at this particular BST (Bulk Supply Point) to meet both current and future demands,” Ing. Fletcher added.
The 66 MVA transformers at Anwomaso Bulk Supply Point, until now, were sometimes stretched to their maximum loading capacity due to increased demand during peak times.
The new 145 mega-volt amperes transformer, which replaces one of the 66 MVA transformers, is expected to help improve supply capacity and reliability.
Engineers from both GRIDCo and the ECG have been working to lay all cables, energize, and install the transformer to make it readily available for use.
Officials of ECG hope the installation of the new transformer will also allow easier transfer of customers from Ridge Bulk Supply Point in case of fault management.
General Manager of Ashanti Sub-Transmission, Ing. Peter Fletcher, told JoyNews that the installation of the new transformer will, to a large extent, partly help solve the erratic power supply experienced in the Ashanti region.
“This is not to say it will entirely eliminate pockets of outages. We are running the lines where we have transformers, connecting points, poles, and all that. Where third parties are hitting our lines, knocking down poles, etc., this may still persist. But in terms of loading, where a fault prevents power supply, we can comfortably transfer. Now, we have enough capacity here to supply.
“So for that one, we assure the people of Kumasi that for transfer of loads due to faults and such issues, we can comfortably do it,” he assured.
Meanwhile, Ing. Fletcher is seeking public support in dealing with third-party interference on ECG installations, which he says greatly affects the power supply chain.
He particularly mentioned eight high-voltage pylons being toppled in Ejisu after bolts and nuts were removed by miscreants, as well as transformers and both overhead and underground cables.
Ing. Fletcher is urging the general public to be vigilant in reporting any suspicious movements or activities around such installations to ECG through their toll-free lines.
The installation of the new high-capacity transformer follows an agreement between ECG and GRIDCo in May 2024.
