Renewable Energy-Based Electricity for Rural, Social and Economic Development in Ghana

Ghana's electric power is operated by two parastatal utilities: the Volta River Authority (VRA) and the Electricity Corporation of Ghana (ECG). The VRA is responsible for power generation and transmission at 161 KVA and 225 KVA. The ECG is responsible for power distribution in the south; in the north, the Northern Electricity Department (NED), a subdivision of VRA, handles distribution. VRA and ECG report to the Ministry of Mines and Energy. The Government of Ghana is committed to extension of electricity services to every community of 500 people or more by the year 2000. The National Electrification Scheme (NES) is planned to proceed in six five-year phases over the period 1990-2020. The electrification of the several thousand unelectrified villages in the country has been assumed to be via grid extension with community participation under the Self-Help Electrification Programme (SHEP). This will be a challenging and financially difficult task.