2006年VOA标准英语-Energy Crisis Impacts Ghana's Mining Industry

By Efam Dovi
Accra
12 September 2006

In Ghana, mining companies are being forced to cut energy use by 50 percent to help the country through its worst energy crisis in nine years. The country's bulk electricity supplier, the Volta River Authority, says the cuts in the mining industry are needed as part of a nationwide power-rationing¹ program. The cuts are expected to deeply affect the country's foreign earnings².

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The West African nation, which supplies electric power to neighbors Togo and Benin, has been struggling to meet demands because of reliance on its over 40-year-old Akosombo Hydro Electric dam.

A shortfall in rain earlier this year has made matter worse by reducing water levels at the dam and forcing the VRA to start rationing power.
 

An open cast gold mine near the town of Prestea, Ghana (2005 file photo)  
  
Ghana is also the largest gold producer in West
Africa and mining exports make up close to 40 percent of the country's total foreign earnings.

The mining industry, which consumes about 20 percent of the country's total power production, is among the hardest hit by the crisis.

"Cutting back by 50 percent means that, it is almost like cutting back production by 50 percent, because, although we have installed capacity for self-generation, it's extremely expensive," said Joyce Aryee, the chief executive of Ghana's Chamber³ of Mines. "It will mean getting regular supply of diesel⁴, at the cost that we get it will perhaps mean generating power at 15 cent per kilowatt⁵ hour, which is almost three times what we get from VRA."

Joyce Aeyee   
  
Aryee says if urgent action is not taken to restore power to normal levels, the industry will be compelled to take drastic action to stay in business.

"If Ghana has a serious problem in power it affects our industry as well, because it's not only the fact that eventually if it doesn't change quickly that production will fall drastically, it will mean also that the workforce⁶ will have to be cut back and that is a very serious thing," she said.

The crisis has also affected⁷ small and medium businesses, with many cutting output drastically, because they are unable to afford substitute power.

The World Bank this month gave Ghana high marks as a place to do business, but analysts⁸ say without sufficient power the climate could change.

 
Dr. Kwabena Anaman 
  
Dr. Kwabena Anaman, director of research at Ghana's Institute of Economic Affairs says if the situation persists, growth rates set out in this year's government budget will not be achieved. He says reliable energy is vital to the development of the country's economy.

"Power is one of the major factors that a firm will have to consider if it wants to invest in a country, foreign firm, so clearly, the unreliability of energy supply makes Ghana less attractive compared to other countries with similar endowment," he said.

Anaman also called for forward planning and the need to diversify⁹ Ghana's energy sources.

Ghana experienced a severe energy shortage between 1997 and 1998, which also affected Togo and Benin. The crises then triggered a renewed interest in a proposed West African gas pipeline¹⁰.

The project, expected to be completed next March, would bring natural gas from Nigeria through Benin and Togo to Ghana. Industry watchers are hopeful, that the pipeline will help end the perennial¹¹ energy shortages in the sub-region.

1 rationing   

n.定量供应

参考例句：

• Wartime austerities included food rationing and shortage of fuel. 战时的艰苦包括食物配给和燃料短缺。
• Food rationing was abolished in that country long ago. 那个国家早就取消了粮食配给制。

2 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

3 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

4 diesel   

n.柴油发动机，内燃机

参考例句：

• We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
• My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。

5 kilowatt   

n.千瓦

参考例句：

• They pay thirty fen per kilowatt hour.他们每度电付三角钱。
• The watt is a small unit of power so that we use the kilowatt instead.瓦特是小功率的单位，因此我们用千瓦代之。

6 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

7 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

8 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

9 diversify   

v.（使）不同，（使）变得多样化

参考例句：

• Our company is trying to diversify.我们公司正力图往多样化方面发展。
• Hills and woods diversify the landscape.山陵和树木点缀景色。

10 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

11 perennial   

adj.终年的；长久的

参考例句：

• I wonder at her perennial youthfulness.我对她青春常驻感到惊讶。
• There's a perennial shortage of teachers with science qualifications.有理科教学资格的老师一直都很短缺。