ECG Ashanti West to spend GH¢29.7m on projects
The Ashanti West Regional office of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) intends to spend nearly GH¢29.7 million on projects to improve system reliability and enhance operational efficiency.
Among the projects would be the creation of a new 11 kv (kilovolts) feeder from the Kumasi Asekyem Primary Substation to relieve the 11kv Kokoben and Ampabame feeders which would serve customers around Kokoben, Trede, Heman, Darko, Ampatia and surrounding areas.
Work has already commenced on this project and 20 per cent completed.
The General Manager of the Ashanti West ECG, Mr George Amoah, mentioned these at a media engagement on Wednesday said similarly, creation of two 11kv feeders from the Afari Primary Substation to relieve the existing 11kv feeders, yet to start would benefit customers within Twedie, Foase, Sepaase, Afari, Nkawie, Toase and surrounding areas.
Customers within Denase, Ahenkro, Kodie, Mowire and surrounding areas, would also benefit from the creation of an improved 11kv feeder from Maase.
He indicated that he was poised to upgrade 70 transformers to prevent low voltage and improve power supply to their customers, saying some of transformers would be installed at Trede, Kropo Market, Trabuom newsite, Kromoase, Bebu, Mankranso, Bekwame, Agric Nzema, Ahodwo and other areas.
“We will extend power supply to newly developed areas like Pakyi No.1, Atwima Agogo, Adawfo Sepaase, Abuakwa Canan, Ridge near RCC, Amadum Adankwame and other areas”, he underlined.
He further mentioned their readiness to introduce new smart prepaid meters under the Loss Reduction Project (LRP) for Districts like Suame, Abuakwa, Bibiani and Offinso, “to ensure we have enough meters to serve our customers and even replace faulty meters….with Suame, a pilot is ongoing to ensure we give our customers the best of service.
Last year, he stated that an amount of GH¢8,851,351.62 were spent on projects including extension of power supply to newly developed areas and communities without power supply like Tabere, Mpatuam, Namong New Site, Namong, Faaman-Esaaso, Hilltop Ohwimase, Sokoban, Ampabame, Darko Newsite, Anyinam and other areas.
System improvement works took place at Apaaso, Ampabame No.1, Kwaso and Asaago while there were upgrading of transformers at Bokankye, Esereso-Richard, Esereso Morgate, Esereso Ophelia, Feyiase, Bomso D/A Primary Sch, Abuasu Alisco Ent, Trede, Pakyi N0.2, Abountem and other areas.
And also, upgraded and injected 40 transformers, converted 11kv overhead network to underground network at Ridge near National Communication Authority, conveted portions of Kasapreko 11kv overhead line feeder to underground network at Abuakwa.
He touched on illegal connection and said the Company would intensify its illegal connection campaign by prosecuting individuals who have been stealing power and people engaged in the sale of illegal meters.
According to the General Manager, “illegal connection also affects the distribution system by overloading transformers which eventually leads to the breakdown of transformers and outages”.
“The company has the authority to prosecute persons engaged in such illegal acts within ECG network by an Executive Instrument (EI) 38 of the Appointment of Public Prosecution Instrument (2010)”, he pointed out.
