Darkness to take over Ghana as government fails to pay billion-dollar debt

The Chamber of Independent Power Producers has directed its members to cut power supply from the national power grid effective July 1, 2023 to July 8, 2023.

The decision comes after government has been unable to reach an agreement with the IPPs to settle an interim 30 percent debt payment out of a $1.78 billion owed.

Per an email sent from the Chamber to its six members, it called on the thermal power producers not to provide support to the national grid beginning July 1, 2023 ultimately resulting in a power crisis.

“Further to our planned industrial action on July 1, 2023 to press home our demand, we would like each IPP to nominate nothing (zero nominations) and not declare an availability to the System Operator, beginning July 1 to July 8, 2023.”

“We take this opportunity to salute you for your solidarity. We are determined to get results at all cost," the Chamber of IPPs added.

Meanwhile the six members of the Chamber consist of Sunon Asogli; Cenpower; Karpowership; AKSA; Twin City Energy and CENIT. They have since been pressing on government to honour the outstanding debt payment owed to them.

Government had earlier engaged the IPPs to restructure the debt but the move was quickly rejected by members of the Chamber.

In Ghana’s energy sector, the Independent Power Producers play a pivotal role in providing power generation for distribution. They have a controlling stake of 47 percent of the country's total power generation mix.

The six members of the IPPs have the capacity to produce 2,010 megawatts of power to support the national power grid.