Foster industrial growth & job creation by prioritising domestic electricity consumption over export – Apetorgbor

Elikplim Kwabla Apetorgbor, has reiterated his call to the government to place premium on domestic electricity consumption over expert to neighbouring countries.

He says by doing so, the government will be able to foster industrial growth, create jobs, and enhance value addition within its borders.

Dr Apetorgbor said these while calling for the privatisation of the thermal plants of the Volta River Authority (VRA).

In his view, the privatization of VRA’s thermal power plants, coupled with the re-purposing of hydroelectric capacity for domestic industrial use, presents a transformative opportunity for Ghana’s energy sector.

“Embracing innovation and strategic foresight, we can open up the full potential of the power systems infrastructure and optimize the energy resources to drive economic growth, enhance industrial competitiveness, and improve the livelihoods,” Dr Apetorgbor said in a statement.

He added “The re-engineering of VRA’s thermal plants into combined cycle facilities represents a strategic move towards maximizing energy conversion efficiency and mitigating environmental impact.

This transition aligns with global trends towards cleaner energy production, positioning Ghana as a responsible steward of its natural resources utilization.

“In tandem with thermal plant privatization, redirecting a good portion of VRA’s hydroelectric capacity to domestic industrial consumers like VALCO offers compelling synergies and economic benefits.

Central to this transformation is the strategic restructuring of the Volta River Authority’s (VRA) thermal power assets, through privatization and re-engineering.

I have reflected deeply on the strategic benefits of privatizing VRA’s simply cycle thermal power plants, re-purposing the hydroelectric resources, the Akosombo and Kpong Dams, for domestic industrial use, and fostering collaboration with the Volta Aluminum Company (VALCO) to drive Ghana’s energy security and reliability agenda forward.

Privatizing VRA’s simply cycle thermal power plants presents an opportunity to inject private sector dynamism, expertise, and capital into Ghana’s energy landscape.

This transformation promises to enhance energy productivity, reduce operational costs, and bolster the reliability of electricity supply.

The re-engineering of VRA’s thermal plants into combined cycle facilities represents a strategic move towards maximizing energy conversion efficiency and mitigating environmental impact.

Joint initiatives focused on energy efficiency, technical support, and capacity building can further amplify the impact of this collaboration, positioning Ghana as a regional leader in electricity reliability and industrial development.

The privatization of VRA’s thermal power plants, coupled with the re-purposing of hydroelectric capacity for domestic industrial use, presents a transformative opportunity for Ghana’s energy sector.

Embracing innovation and strategic foresight, we can open up the full potential of the power systems infrastructure and optimize the energy resources to drive economic growth, enhance industrial competitiveness, and improve the livelihoods.This suggestion towards optimization and efficiency underscores Ghana’s commitment to building a reliable and resilient energy future.

Dr.