Switch off deep freezers to conserve power — Energy Commission

The Energy Commission has made a strong case for Ghanaians to switch off their deep freezers during peaks hours as part of energy conservation methods as the country battles the current energy crisis.

The Director of Planning and Policy at the commission Mr Michael Opam, said the move would save the country an estimated 300 megawatts of electricity daily.

“We are at the crossroads; this is very crucial and we must all contribute to it in one way or another.

If one million households switch off their freezers at peak periods, it will be a drastic contribution to energy conservation at this time,” he said. 

He was speaking at a policy debate organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) to find a lasting solution to the country’s energy crisis. 

Power supply in the country has been suffering epileptic seizures in the last few weeks in particular, with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) saying that it cannot publish a load-shedding timetable because it does not know how much energy the Volta River Authority (VRA) is shedding. 

The programme, which attracted participants from the energy sector, civil society organisations and political parties, was on the theme, “Keeping Ghana switched on: Challenges and prospects for stable electricity supply”.

Speakers at the debate predicted a bleak future for the energy sector if the current trend of low investment in the sector, high tariffs for industry and low tariffs for residential consumers.