€154M Cross-Border Power Line Project Takes Shape

 

 

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo), Mr. Mark Baah, has highlighted the strategic importance of the 330kV Double Circuit Côte d’Ivoire–Ghana Interconnection Reinforcement Project, describing it as a milestone towards deepening West African energy integration and accelerating regional power trade.

Speaking at a high-level meeting in Accra, Mr. Baah welcomed delegates from Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, including representatives from CI-ENERGIES, the West African Power Pool (WAPP) Secretariat, and consulting firm Studio Pietrangeli. He noted that the project forms part of the WAPP Coastal Power Transmission Backbone aimed at linking electricity networks across Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria.

According to Mr. Baah, the interconnection project, identified as a top priority in the ECOWAS Master Plan for Regional Power Infrastructure (2019–2033), is necessary to eliminate trade bottlenecks and support the regional electricity market.

The €154.4 million project will involve the construction of a 243km double-circuit transmission line—122km in Côte d’Ivoire and 121km in Ghana—connecting Bingerville substation in Côte d’Ivoire with the future Dunkwa II substation in Ghana. The project also includes environmental and social safeguards, construction supervision, and project management.

“The project is technically sound, financially viable, and environmentally responsible,” Mr. Baah emphasized. He further outlined an institutional framework to ensure timely and cost-effective delivery. This includes the establishment of an Inter-State Ministerial Committee, a Technical Steering Committee, and national Project Implementation Units. Legal instruments to formalize these structures are set to be signed at the ongoing ministerial meeting.

The studies, which were previously validated by sector experts in both countries, were updated by Italian firm Studio Pietrangeli and coordinated by the WAPP Secretariat, in collaboration with CI-ENERGIES, GRIDCo, and the respective energy ministries.

The ministerial meeting, held on June 27, 2025, seeks to present the full outcomes of the feasibility and environmental studies, finalize the institutional setup, and chart the next steps, including preparations for synchronizing the regional power network.

Welcoming participants to Accra, Mr. Baah reaffirmed GRIDCo’s commitment to regional collaboration in energy delivery and expressed optimism that the project would significantly enhance energy reliability, trade, and economic growth across West Africa.

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