Ghana and hydropower
Ghana, located in West Africa, has a rich history of relying on hydropower for its electricity generation, significantly shaping its energy sector. As of 2023, the country has made considerable progress in electrification, with 86.63 percent of Ghanaians accessing electricity from the national grid, though rural areas still face challenges. The development of hydropower in Ghana began with the construction of the Akosombo hydroelectric plant in 1966, which marked a significant advance in the country's energy capacity. However, intermittent droughts in the following decades prompted a shift towards diversifying energy sources, including the establishment of thermal power stations in the 1990s to mitigate supply risks.
Despite these changes, hydropower remains a vital part of Ghana's energy landscape, accounting for 5.2 percent of the total energy supply by 2022, while other sources, such as oil and biofuels, have also come into play. Currently, Ghana is home to three major hydroelectric plants, with plans for additional projects to meet the rising energy demands of its population, which are growing by 10 to 15 percent annually. The ongoing challenge lies in balancing energy supply with the needs of both urban and rural communities, particularly as the government works towards ensuring access for all citizens.
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Ghana and hydropower
Official Name: Republic of Ghana.
Summary: Located in the west of Africa, Ghana has a growing energy sector striving to meet the increasing energy demands of its population. Historically, Ghana has relied on hydropower for its electricity generation.
As of 2022, Ghana’s electricity sector had a customer base of more than 5.6 million people. According to the International Trade Administration, 86.63 percent of Ghanaians had access to electricity from the national grid in 2023. That figure drops in rural areas, despite the government’s commitment to electrification of all communities with more than 500 people. Building long-range transmission lines for electricity is very expensive, particularly as the communities far away from urban areas tend to be poor and are therefore less able to pay for electricity that is delivered. Small-scale, decentralized energy generation, such as that supplied by solar panels and batteries, can be more affordable in these cases.
Historically, there have been three main periods of energy development in Ghana. In the early 1900s, the vast majority of power came from isolated diesel generators and stand-alone electricity systems, often owned by industries, factories, or hospitals. In 1914, the first public electricity supply was created to support the new Gold Coast Railway system. Connections were gradually extended to surrounding communities, and small power stations began to be commissioned to increase supply. However, it was often unreliable and never available all day; therefore, electricity consumption did not grow rapidly during this time.
In 1966, the Ghanaian hydropower sector made its first step forward with the construction of the 912-megawatt Akosombo hydroelectric plant, on the Volta River. The Kpong hydropower plant was then commissioned in 1982, adding another 160 megawatts to Ghana’s electricity capacity. The level of domestic electricity consumption in 1967 was less than 20 percent of the installed capacity at Akosombo, and only nine years after the installation of the Akosombo hydroplant, domestic electricity consumption had doubled, with hydropower now providing much more energy than diesel or coal.
Ghana was then hit by two severe droughts between 1982 and 1998, both of which led to significantly reduced rainfall and less water flowing through the hydropower turbines. With a sudden drop in supply, the Ghanaian government introduced mandatory rationing of electricity, at the same time beginning to consider alternative sources of power to back up the hydropower plants in case of further drought.
To this end, the government in the 1990s began a program to develop thermal power stations. Unfortunately, such projects were extremely expensive, and Ghana’s government struggled to fund construction. In order to attract funding from multilateral agencies such as the World Bank, Ghana committed to large reforms in its power sector. For example, it was obliged to reduce the level of government control over energy supply companies, which had previously been completely owned by the government. The first commercial thermal combustion turbine power plant went into operation in 1997, and more have been developed since; however, this form of energy generation remains small compared to Ghana’s hydropower resources.
Because Ghana needs to import all fossil fuels such as natural gas, it became involved in the construction of the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP), a 372-mile (600-kilometer) pipeline supplying natural gas from Nigeria to Ghana and other countries. However, there were disruptions to supply from Nigeria in 2009, low gas volumes in 2010, and attacks by pirates in 2012. As a result, Ghana began seeking secure and stable gas imports from other suppliers.
By 2022, 37 percent of Ghana’s total energy supply came from oil, 34 percent from biofuels and waste, 23.6 percent from natural gas, and 5.2 percent from hydropower. As of 2022, Ghana was home to three major hydroelectric plants, with five more expected to come into operation by 2030.
Bibliography
Dubey, Sunita Chikkatur. "Island Communities in Ghana Get Electricity—at Last!" The World Bank, 18 Sept. 2017, blogs.worldbank.org/nasikiliza/island-communities-in-ghana-get-electricity-at-last. Accessed 1 Aug. 2024.
"Ghana." CIA World Factbook, 30 July 2024, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/ghana/. Accessed 1 Aug. 2024.
"Ghana." International Energy Agency, 2024, www.iea.org/countries/ghana. Accessed 1 Aug. 2024.
"Ghana." US Energy Information Administration, May 2018, www.eia.gov/international/analysis/country/GHA. Accessed 1 Aug. 2024.