Ghana’s Volta River Authority secures funds to deploy 12 MW of solar

The funds will be granted by Germany’s KfW and will be used to build two large-scale PV power plant’s in Ghana’s Upper West Region.

November 6, 2017 Emiliano Bellini

The 2 MW Navrongo Solar Power Plant owned by the Volta River Authority.

Image: Volta River Authority

Ghana’s largest power supplier, the Volta River Authority (VRA), announced it has secured funds to build two utility-scale PV plants in the Upper West Region from Germany’s government-owned development bank KfW.

The VRA said the funds will finance two solar facilities, with a capacity of 8 MW and 4 MW respectively, in Kaleo and Lawra. The company added that it has already undertaken the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the projects and has secured an Environmental Permit from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). More details on the two projects were not provided.

The VRA has already built a solar park, the 2 MW Navrongo Solar Power Plant located in Navrongo in the Upper East Region of Ghana. The $8.08 million facility built by VRA with own funds and financing that was also provided by the KfW, and was commissioned in 2013.

All of these solar projects are part of VRA’s Renewable Development Programme Phase 1 (REDP1) that the company launched in 2010. This plan includes the deployment of 150 MW of wind power, 14 MW of solar, as well as several feasibility studies for small hydro plants.

The VRA, which is Ghana’s grid operator, also owns and operates two hydropower facilities in Akosombo (912 MW) and Kpong (148 MW). The company also operates a several off-grid diesel-powered generating stations in Salaga, Lawra and Wa.

This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.