Ghana To Add 3,000 MW Of Power Capacity By 2030

The Government of Ghana has announced plans to expand the country’s power generation capacity by an additional 3,000 MW by 2030 to meet growing electricity demand from both domestic and industrial consumers.

Ghana’s Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, disclosed that the government aims to stabilise power supply and reduce costly outages that undermine the competitiveness of manufacturing companies in the country.

Speaking at the Ishmael Yamson & Associates Business Roundtable in Accra on Wednesday, Dr. Forson explained that about 30% of the new capacity will come from renewable energy sources.

The West African nation has been experiencing intermittent power supply caused by generation shortfalls and planned maintenance by the two power distribution companies — the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo).

According to the 2025 Electricity Supply Plan published by the Energy Commission, Ghana’s total installed grid-connected generation capacity stood at 5,738 MW as of December 2024, with a dependable capacity of 4,742.35 MW projected for 2025.

The country’s system peak demand currently hovers around 4,300 MW and is projected to rise to approximately 6,198 MW by 2030.

Dr. Forson estimated that Africa loses about US$25 billion annually due to power outages and described the persistent energy deficit as unacceptable for a continent rich in gas, hydro, solar, wind, and critical mineral resources.

“We cannot industrialise in darkness,” he said, stressing that reliable and affordable electricity is essential for competitiveness and job creation.

He also called for a shift toward local processing and refining, citing lithium, bauxite, and cocoa as examples of resources that could generate greater value within African economies.

The Finance Minister further highlighted the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a key complement to national industrial strategies, describing trade integration as “an economic survival strategy.”