WITH the inauguration of the Kasoa Bulk Supply Point (BSP) today, the United States has completed its nearly six-year $316 million investment in Ghana’s energy infrastructure, supporting more reliable power for hundreds of thousands of schools, hospitals, offices, and homes in Ghana. Deputy Chief of Mission of the US Embassy Nicole Chulick joined Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia and other Ghana government officials to formally inaugurate the Kasoa Bulk Supply Point (BSP) on Wednesday. The US government funded the $50 million power substation as part of the MCC-Ghana Power Compact.
‘With the inauguration of the Kasoa Bulk Supply Point here today, we mark the successful completion of the MCC Ghana Power Compact. This was a nearly six-year, $316 million commitment by the American people to improve Ghana’s energy infrastructure and support long-term economic growth,’ said Chulick during the inauguration event.
Following the event, Chulick toured the new facility with Vice President Bawumia. The Kasoa BSP will reduce outages in the power system, help stabilise voltages, and improve the quality and reliability of power supplied to the Awutu Senya East Municipality in the Central Region. The Kasoa BSP is now the second largest-capacity BSP in Ghana. The 435-megavolt ampere (MVA) gas-insulated power substation will serve 250,000 ECG customers. It will also reduce technical losses in the power transmission and distribution system, contributing to the financial viability of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) in the long term.
According to a statement by the US Embassy in Accra, the $316 million MCC Ghana Power Compact invested in new power infrastructure and reforms to provide more reliable, affordable electricity to Ghanaians. It also supported programmes designed to improve energy efficiency and expand opportunities for women in the power sector. Ghana’s Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) implemented the partnership with the government.
Energy infrastructure improvements
The MCC Ghana Power Compact successfully improved the country’s power sector through the construction of four power substations: the Pokuase BSP, the Kasoa BSP, the University of Ghana Medical Centre Primary Substation at Legon, and the Ellen Moran Primary Substation at Kanda. These new power substations directly serve the 37 Military Hospital, Greater Accra Regional Hospital, University of Ghana Medical Centre, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, the National Mosque, and over 800,000 utility customers. Compact projects upgraded the power system in 10 markets in Accra and Tamale.
Under the compact, ECG has also developed two new information technology systems: the Geographic Information System (GIS) and Multimeter Management System (MMS), to modernise the utility and help reduce commercial losses, said the US Embassy statement.
Supporting energy efficiency
The MCC Ghana Power Compact also established the Air Conditioner and Refrigerator Test Laboratory at the Ghana Standards Authority. The first of its kind in West Africa, the laboratory will help enforce standards to eliminate the importation of inefficient appliances that waste energy. As part of the compact, twenty regulations for energy efficiency standards and labels have been updated to reflect new technology and await promulgation in Parliament.
The compact also supported the installation of more than 14,000 new energy-efficient streetlights with metered management systems, replacing old, inefficient lighting and setting a new standard for energy savings. Finally, the compact helped develop a curriculum for teaching energy efficiency in schools. As a result of the Compact, a partnership with three major technical universities will establish energy auditing centres to strengthen Ghana’s position as a leader in West Africa for energy efficiency.
Inclusion
As part of the MCC Ghana Power Compact, more than 600 female students in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) participated in mentoring and training for professional growth and development. Three hundred of these students found internship positions at leading energy sector institutions. These internships have played a crucial role in helping employers embrace a more inclusive workforce and sustain the effort to provide more opportunities for women to thrive in occupations in the power sector typically dominated by men.
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has since adopted a gender policy, action plan, and new targets for greater female employee recruitment and promotion. ECG will also partner with USAID’s Engendering Utilities Programme to continue making progress on creating a more inclusive, diverse energy sector workforce.
The inauguration of the Kasoa BSP marks the final major milestone under the MCC Ghana Power Compact and successful completion of the programme that has benefited hundreds of thousands of Ghanaians. The compact end date is June 6, 2022, the statement said.