President Mahama at the 2015 State of the Nation address says his approach to the current power crisis is not to manage it as past governments have done, but to fix it once and for all.

“I do not intend to manage the situation as has been done in the past, I intend to fix it. I, John Dramani Mahama will fix this energy challenge”, he told an attentive Parliament Wednesday morning

Recounting the history of the energy crisis, he said Ghana has faced similar challenges in 1983, 1998,2006 and 2007. The current crisis began in 2012 and has lasted since.

On paper, this crisis should not exist because with an installed capacity of 2,800, a consumer demand of 2,100 should be enough.

Ghana is suffering a deficit of about 1,000megawatts due to broken down power plants and unreliable gas from Nigeria.

But this will be a thing of the past by 2016, he noted. The President is promising to add 3,665megawatts by 2016.

This will push total installed capacity to 6,465megawatts.

Detailing the breakdown, he said Asogli Phase 2 will add 350megawatts, coal power generation will bring on 750megawatts, CERNIT -350, General Electric-1,000megawatts,VRA T4 will add 184megawatts and Kpong plant at Tema set to bring on 220megawatts. Other plants and power sources will add up to his plan to increase power generation.

He analyzed that with consumer demand pegged at over 10% increase per annum, Government should be looking to double power supply every 8 years.

He also plans to reform the energy sector by bulking hydropower plants into a separate power entity and also reform the Electricity Company of Ghana into a customer-centric government institution.

The President wants to make solar power available to barbers, dressmakers and other small businesses and residential consumers.

Highlighting the advantages of renewable energy, President Mahama said 200,000 rooftop solar systems can save the country 200 megawatts.

While adding more on the power supply side, the President is asking Ghanaians to use less on the demand side. He said there was more consumers could do to support conservation efforts.

He said with about 30% of consumers using two refrigerators, the domestic appliance alone consumes 1,200megawatts every year.

Sounding a veiled warning to the Energy minister, he said he will be holding the Power Minister Kwabena Donkor to his promise to solve the shedding of load by the end of the year.

The President is assuring Ghanaians that energy crisis is one of many 'hills' Ghanaians have faced and overcome in the past. He is hopeful that by 2016, this challenge will be one gone by.