19th October 2022

Ghana’s power export power to Burkina Faso and other neighboring countries is expected to improve significantly with the commissioning of the 330kV Kumasi-Bolgatanga Transmission Line by the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo), energynewsafrica.com can report.

Currently, Ghana exports about 150 Megawatts of power to its northern neighbor, Burkina Faso, and the Sahel region.

President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, last Sunday, commissioned the Kumasi-Bolgatanga Transmission Line which was jointly implemented by GRIDCo and SONABEL, as part of his tour of the Ashanti Region.

The project is part of the West Africa Power Pool regional interconnection project between Ghana and Burkina Faso.

It was funded by the French Development Agency (AFD) of US$174 million and a European Union grant of €5 million dedicated to project management.

The project construction was undertaken by Elecnor SA for the Kintampo substation, Eiffage Energies/ABB Ag J.V undertook the Tamale substation while the Bolgatanga substation was done by Sinohydro corporation ltd and KEC international.

With the commissioning of the 330kV Kumasi-Bolgatanga Transmission Line, GRIDCo is hopeful that there would be a reduction in transmission losses, increased transmission capacity, and improved security of electricity to Burkina Faso and beyond.

Commenting on the project, Chief Executive of GRIDCo, Ing Ebenezer Essienyi said, “GRIDCo is proud to have delivered this complex energy sector project with the support of strategic partners which has a direct impact on the power supply for Ghanaians, businesses, and foreign customers. This transmission line project reinforces and stabilizes GRIDCo’s transmission network. It also expands access for Ghana’s middle to the northern belt, as well as consolidating Ghana’s export of up to 150MW beyond its northern border to Burkina Faso and the Sahel region. I commend all who were involved for their contribution to making this project a reality.”

On his part, the Chargé d’Affaires A.I. of the French Embassy to Ghana, Raphaël Malara indicated, “I do consider that such a project—by enhancing regional integration and facilitating the provision of basic services—is a contribution to stability and peace in the region. This project is also a reflection on the importance of the energy sector for the partnership between France and Ghana.”

Source: www.energynewsafrica.com