Power fluctuation: Ghana records daily shortfall of 700MW – IES

Ghana records a daily electricity shortfall of approximately 700 megawatts (MW), sometimes reaching up to 1,000 MW.

According to the Institute for Energy Security (IES), this gap which occurs 100% of the time in the dataset, points to structural issues in scaling up or resource availability for power generation.

Due to this sustained shortfall, Ghana faces challenges in meeting domestic demand reliably and fulfilling export commitments, impacting revenue from energy exports.

The IES explained that the generation system shows moderate daily fluctuations, indicating limited flexibility to adapt to demand changes, which restricts the capacity to meet peak demand.

To prioritise domestic needs, the energy think tank said Ghana often reduces export volumes and imports at some point, affecting trade relations and income from exports to neighbouring countries.

The analysis, it pointed out underscores the importance of enhancing the utilisation of existing dependable capacity, expanding generation capacity to meet medium-term needs, and adopting flexible operational policies to enhance electricity supply reliability and support Ghana’s role as a regional energy exporter.

Recommendations

To address these teething issues, it recommended Ghana consider expanding generation capacity through investments in new facilities, upgrades to existing ones, and enhanced utilisation of existing dependable capacity to help bridge the demand-supply gap.

Similarly, it wants the country to implement policies to optimise and manage peak demand more effectively, such as through demand response programmes to help balance consumption with available resources.

To sustain export commitments, it urged the nation to equally explore bilateral agreements with neighbouring countries that account for supply constraints, ensuring reliability while accommodating domestic needs.