The Executive Secretary of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), Dr Shaffic Suleman, says plans are underway to ensure Ghana has enough electricity to sustain a 24-hour economy.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Wednesday, he said power demand is already rising beyond projections, driven by economic stability and renewed consumption.

“We are now consuming more power beyond what has been projected,” he stated.

He explained that while the annual growth projection stands at 8 per cent, actual demand is outpacing that figure.

“We are looking at an annual projection of 8% per annum, but I can assure you that we are moving. We are moving far faster than that.”

According to him, improved stability in power supply and the broader economy is fueling the surge.

“And it’s because of the stability and availability of power, and then the suppressed demand is now being curtailed, so more consumers are coming on board generally, thanks to the stability of the economy.”

When asked about the impact of a full rollout of a 24-hour economy, Dr Suleman acknowledged the need for urgency in expanding capacity.

“So we have to be fast with additional capacity,” adding that the government is already working toward that goal.

“President Mahama and the Minister of Energy, John Jinapor, are working towards adding additional capacity and ensuring that we have enough.”

He noted that Ghana’s electricity consumption patterns are also shifting.

“Because, as I said, base load power dynamics have changed completely. Peak load is also experiencing targets or points that we are not familiar with, and obviously, the economy is growing, so we need power.”

He stressed that power is currently available, but future demand will require reinforcement.

“Power is available, so all we need to do now is to think of how best or how fast we can get additional capacity to come in and supplement, especially going towards 2027 to 29.”

On concerns that industrial expansion under a 24-hour system would significantly increase usage, he pointed to demand management strategies already in place.

“So the 24-hour economy, you remember they talk about a time of use,” he said, explaining that the Time of Use system is designed to manage peak pressure.

“Time of Use is basically to shift the demand for peak periods to off-peak.”

He said the intention is to reduce strain during high-demand windows.

“But as I said, the only new thing that is showing now is the fact that we are seeing more even off-peak power demand increasing.”

He clarified how peak and off-peak periods are structured.

“But the intention of time of use is actually to shift the demand from the peak period, that’s early morning, six to 10 and from evening, five to 10 pm, to Off Peak, maybe from 11 pm onwards.”

Dr Suleman’s remarks signal that regulators anticipate higher consumption levels and are preparing the grid to support industrial growth and round-the-clock operations in the years ahead.