She gave the commendation in Accra at a meeting with representatives of the power sector in Ghana, specifically from the Ministry of Power, GRIDCo and the Energy Commission, to discuss the status of implementation of the ECOWAS Directive on the Organisation of the Regional Electricity Market.

The first phase of the regional power market will be launched later this year.

While stating Ghana’s critical role in the first phase of the regional power market, Mrs Ikeonu pledged ERERA’s assistance to Ghana in areas the country may be having difficulties during the implementation of the Directive.

The Directive provides for the gradual establishment of the ECOWAS regional power market through the harmonisation of national electricity markets. It also provides for a regional market design and market phases, open access to the regional transmission network and access by eligible customers.

Other key issues of the Directive include the harmonisation of contractual arrangements relating to cross-border electricity exchanges for the import and export of electricity as well as the capacity building of national regulatory authorities.  Mrs Ikeonu, who briefed the meeting on other details of the Directive, spoke on the tasks assigned to ERERA and the West African Power Pool (WAPP) towards the development of the regional electricity market.

She informed the meeting of the progress made towards the take-off of the market and this includes the approval of instruments such as the Regional Electricity Market Rules and WAPP Operations Manual that would guide market participants as well as a tariff methodology which would determine the cost of trans-border wheeling of electricity.

Mrs Ikeonu said ERERA was now finalising work on the dispute resolution rules and contract templates which were two other critical instruments being re prerequisites for the launch of the market. Mr Solomon Asoalla, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Power, said Ghana took issues of regional integration seriously and informed members of the ERERA delegation of the major steps so far taken towards implementing the Directive.

These include the power sector reforms which have led to the unbundling of the sector and the existence of seven generating companies, one transmission company, three distribution companies and 31 bulk customers.

Major steps have also been taken towards the establishment of a wholesale electricity market. The ERERA delegation was also briefed on major steps taken towards the establishment of the wholesale electricity market including the development of  grid code, market rules to guide the conduct of market participants as well as procedures for the issuance of licences for the export and import of power.

Discussions were also held on the steps taken so far by Ghana towards integrating renewable energy into the electricity generation mix as well as Ghana’s energy efficiency programme. The ERERA team commended the efforts so far made and noted that in line with ERERA’s capacity building initiative in the region, Ghana’s experience in these areas could be shared with other member states for the mutual benefit of ECOWAS.