Head of Corporate Communications at the Volta River Authority has allayed fears of an imminent power crisis popularly called 'dumsor' following the planned shutdown of the Ghana National Gas Company.

Gertrude Koomson told the Super Morning Show host Nhyira Addo the power manager have made contingenncy plans to avert a return of the dreaded power paralysis which crippled business and affected jobs in the last four years.

A joint press release issued by the Volta River Authority, GRIDCo and the Electricity Corporation of Ghana Wednesday said the planned shutdown of Ghana Gas will lead to a generation shortfall of 230 MW.

"...We wish to advise that there will be a generation shortfall of 230MW from the AMERI plant whose operations depend solely on gas supply from the GNGC," the statement said.

The planned shutdown and the commissioning of the gas pipeline system and other equipment from the TEN fields to the Atuabo processing plant will begin from February 3 to February 20, 2017.

"We wish to assure the public that we have put in adequate measures to mitigate the impact of the shortfall," the statement said.

The assurances notwithstanding, there have been fears the country could still slide back into darkness for the period of the shutdown.

Already some areas in Accra have started experiencing some power outages which lasts too long to be convinced it is not the usual 'dumsor.'

However speaking on the SMS, Thursday, the VRA spokesperson Gertrude Koomson assured the there will be no dumsor because contingency plans have been made.

Akosombo

According to her, the Akosombo dam will operate at full capacity because of the good water level at the dam site.

The dam has been operating between two to three turbines instead of the six due to the low levels of water in the dam. Energy experts have also warned against the operation of the six turbines and hinted a possible collapse of the entire system if the dam were to be operated at full capacity.

But Mrs Koomson said the apprehension of the energy experts is misplaced. According to her, the water level is 10 feet higher than it was in the recent past and VRA can competently run all six turbines without any problem.

She said they are also bringing on board all redundant energy reserves including the Kpong dam, and other thermal plants during the period of the shutdown to make up for the shortfall.

"There will be no dumsor as we speak now," she assured  but stated if anything should change they will inform the general public.