Ghana has recorded its highest ever electricity export since 2000, a report by the Energy Commission’s on Energy Statistics has revealed. According to the report, 1,430 Gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity was exported to Ghana’s neighboring countries representing 7.9 percent of total electricity generated in the country in 2019. The figure is almost a double of what was exported in the year 2018.
Apart from the significant increase in export, electricity import in 2019 fell to 127 GWh, from 140 GWh which was recorded in 2018. This reduction in electricity is equivalent to 0.7 percent of total generation and the lowest level since 2014.

This development led to over a 100 percent increase in net export (export less import) in 2019. From a net export of 600 GWh in 2018, 2019 recorded a net export of 1,227 GWh.

This significant increase in the nation’s electricity, according to the Energy Commission is as a result of the improved installed generation capacity. From an installed capacity of 1,652 Megawatts (MW) in 2000, the capacity has significantly improved to 5,172 Megawatts in 2019

This significant improvement in Ghana’s energy sector was recorded mainly between 2012 and 2019. Some critics have indicated that the increment was so outrageous which has led to the creation of excess capacities which are not needed.

The commission further stated in the report that urgent steps are needed to address the chronic debt in the power sector, since the overall sector liabilities could hit US$12.5bn by the end of 2023.

Find the tabular and graphical representation below: