Ghana, Togo, and Benin Republic may experience weeks of power outages following plans by the West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited, the owner and operator of the West African Gas Pipeline, to undertake major pipeline maintenance activities.
Unless there is a backup plan, the gas supply to thermal plants in the three counties will be shut off for the maintenance period, which is scheduled for February 5 to March 2, 2025.
The PUNCH gathered that the WAPCo had earlier delayed the repair work, which was to start in January, to allow Ghana to obtain alternative fuel sources for its thermal plants.
In a statement, WAPCo’s General Manager Operations & Maintenance, Auwal Ibrahim, disclosed that these activities include the pigging and the in-line inspection of the 569-kilometre offshore pipeline infrastructure from Ajido, Lagos State, to Takoradi, Western Region, Ghana, and the replacement of critical subsea valves at Tema and Cotonou in Benin Republic to enhance operational safety.
“This maintenance project will necessitate the temporary suspension of specific services, including the reverse flow transportation of natural gas from Ghana’s Western Region to Tema in the east, as well as gas transportation services from Nigeria to Cotonou (Benin), Lomé (Togo), and Tema (Ghana).
“However, some gas transportation services from Nigeria to Takoradi in Ghana will continue during this period to ensure the successful execution of the pipeline cleaning and inspection activities,” the statement read.
It was explained that the comprehensive cleaning and inspection exercise is a key regulatory requirement and aligns with industry best practices to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the West African Gas Pipeline.
“The cleaning and inspection, which encompasses the entire pipeline stretch from Itoki, Ogun State, Nigeria, to Takoradi, Western Region, Ghana, is in two phases. The first phase, which was completed in December 2024, involved cleaning and inspecting the onshore section of the pipeline within Nigeria. The second phase, which was scheduled to start on February 5, 2025, will focus on the offshore section of the WAGP,” it was stated.
WAPCo emphasised its mandate to conduct these inspections every five years (or on a risk-based schedule) as part of its commitment to maintaining the integrity of the WAGP and ensuring its safe and reliable operation across the West African region.
The company said it had actively engaged with key stakeholders to ensure the necessary alignment for the successful implementation of this project, saying WAPCo is grateful to the governments of Benin Republic, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo for their ongoing support.
Additionally, WAPCo appreciated the maritime and regulatory authorities across the four countries, as well as its customers, shippers, gas off-takers, host communities, shareholders, and all other relevant stakeholders for their “continued collaboration and contribution to the success of this exercise.”
Auwal said, “WAPCo is committed to maintaining the proactive stakeholder engagement processes established during the project’s preparation phase during execution. The company will continue to engage with relevant stakeholders on all matters to ensure the project’s safe execution and success.
