Ghana rationing electricity so citizens can watch World Cup matches

Ghana players warm up before their World Cup soccer match against the United States. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)

Ghana is making sure that its World Cup match against the United States and the rest of their matches in the tournament won't be interrupted, so it is purchasing 50 megawatts of electricity from the Ivory Coast, reports Bloomberg. The Ghanaian government has also asked the nation's largest aluminum smelter to reduce electricity usage during Ghana's World Cup matches, Bloomberg adds. Ghana and the U.S. square off on Monday at 6 p.m. ET in the first match for both clubs at the World Cup. According to the report, Ghana has been experiencing a shortage of natural gas and water levels at hydroelectric plants have been below average. The country would probably have to continuing rationing electricity through the first part of 2015.

“These plans are put in place for consumers to watch uninterruptible football matches during the World Cup,” the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission said in a statement. “Within these arrangements the load-shedding schedule, though varied, still exists.”

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Ghana will probably report a budget gap above 10 percent of gross domestic product for a third year in 2014 because of rising government wages and a decline in the currency that is making imports more expensive, Fitch Ratings said this year.