Export of electricity to top agenda of new VRA Board

The need for Ghana to resume the export of electricity was on Tuesday put on top of the agenda of the new board of directors of the Volta River Authority (VRA).

As a means of ensuring that the Authority makes a profitable turnaround within the shortest period, Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister of Energy said: "It is important to hit the export market where the authority can make some revenue to meet its increasing demands of generation.”

Inaugurating the new board in Accra, the Energy Minster stated: "I wish to charge the new board to restore the export of electricity to our neighbouring countries. You should explore this possibility and this must be done soon."

Ghana currently imports power from Cote d'Ivoire at about five million dollars a day and is also indebted to the tune of about 400 billion cedis. The VRA produces electricity at 5.2 cents but sells at 2.6 cents to consumers.

Domestic load, which constitutes 50 per cent of VRA load, is, according to the Minister, "provided at give-away prices."

Kan-Dapaah said export of electricity was a major source of income to VRA for many years, "but sadly, things have changed - the difficulties of distribution companies have worsened things for VRA almost crippling its generation and pricing capacities."

He promised the government's support to the new board and urged them to work at reversing the fortunes of the Authority.

Dr Jones Ofori-Atta, an eminent economist and former head of the economic team of the New Patriotic Party, is chairman of the board.