The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has commissioned a 33KV switching station at Agona-Nkwanta in the Western Region.

The new station replaces a previous radial electrical power distribution system.

The current switching station cost $2.6 million and will allow the ECG to improve its services to industrial users and other establishments in three municipalities in the region – Ahanta West, Nzema East and Tarkwa.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the acting Regional General Manager of the ECG, Mr Emmanuel J. Ofori, said the new facility would help the company to reduce the productive time lost through power outages.

“This switching station will bring relief to users, particularly industrial concerns that need uninterrupted power supply, to keep the wheels of industry and commerce running without challenges,” he said.

Quality service

Mr Ofori said the ECG was committed to delivering present-day services and that apart from improving power supply, the new station would also resolve the difficulty in identifying and isolating electrical faults.

“With the new switching in place, we can now isolate identified trouble spots and deal with them without having to interrupt other users, who hitherto, have to wait for the fault to be resolved,” he said.

In addition, the General Manager said, it would also help the company to meet its objective of supporting the region and the country’s social and economic growth.

“The newly commissioned station is part of a bigger plan to create a flexible system across the region,” he said.

Mr Ofori said further that the three municipalities, that is, Ahanta West, Nzema East and Tarkwa would also enjoy electricity supply from alternative sources whenever there was a challenge with a particular source.

“Once we identify the need, we will quickly solve it and work to ensure quality service delivery to industry, commerce and households in the country.”

Addressing power challenges

The acting ECG Manager for Agona in the Ahanta West District in the Western Region, Mr George Adoko, also assured customers that the ECG, through its regional office, would be introducing several interventions to address challenges with power supply.

“In order to prevent supply interferences from wild trees and other economic plants, there has been an increase in investments in vegetation management activities which appear to be the main cause of power outages in the region.

He said the new switching station would, additionally, make it possible to reconfigure existing feeder arrangements when one source developed a fault.

“The new switching station has brought relief to both customers of the ECG and my team,” he said.