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 COMPANY PROFILE
 INTRODUCTION
The Volta River Authority (VRA) was established under the Volta River Development Act, Act 46 of 1961 as a body corporate. It operates as power generation, transmission and distribution utility.
POWER OPERATIONS
Generation
The Authority operates a total installed electricity generation capacity of 1,322 MW. This is made up of two hydroelectric plants on the Volta River, with installed capacities of 912 MW and 160 MW at the Akosombo and Kpong Generating Stations, respectively, and a 30 MW Diesel Plant at Tema. A 330 MW Combined Cycle Thermal Power Plant has been constructed at Aboadze near Takoradi. It comprises two 110 MW Combustion Turbines (CT) and a 110 MW Steam Turbine (ST) with associated Heat Recovery Steam Generators (HRSG). The two hydro plants are capable of providing firm energy of approximately 4,800 GWh/year and long-term average potential energy of 6,100 GWh/year. The 330 MW TTPP is also capable of providing 2,457 GWh at 85 % availability. TTPP is at present being expanded to 660 MW; 200MW of the expansion project will be on stream by September 1, 2000.
Transmission
The VRA’s transmission system comprises 35 substations and approximately 4,000 circuit km of transmission lines. VRA also operates interconnections to la Côte d’Ivoire in the south-west; Lome, Togo in the south-east and to Dapaong, Togo in the north-east of Ghana, and in the near future to Burkina Faso
Click here to see the map of VRA Transmission network
Distribution
In 1987, VRA took over from Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the responsibility for the distribution of electricity in Northern Ghana, namely, Brong-Ahafo, Northern, Upper-East and Upper-West Regions. The Northern Electricity Department (NED) was then created to carry out this function.
Customers (Local and foreign Exchange)
VRA sells bulk electricity locally to ECG, which is responsible for the distribution of electricity in Southern Ghana. It also sells bulk electricity to major mining companies including Ashanti Goldfields Company, industrial customers and the Akosombo/VRA Akuse Townships. It sells bulk electricity to Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO), which operates an aluminium smelter at Tema, Ghana. It exports power to Togo and Benin (CEB) and interchanges power with la Côte d’Ivoire (CIE).
 NON-POWER OPERATIONS
VRA is also responsible for providing facilities and assistance for the socio-economic development of the Volta Basin. In fulfilment of this function, the Authority has sponsored the establishment of the following subsidiary companies: Kpong Farms Limited, Akosombo Hotels Limited and Volta Lake Transport Company Limited (VLTC) on behalf of the Government of Ghana.
The Kpong Farms Limited is involved in the commercial production of crops and livestock using modern agricultural techniques, marketing farm produce, meat processing and promotion of agricultural research.
The Akosombo Hotels Limited runs a 3-star hotel, restaurant, modern conference/seminar facilities, and pleasure activities and promotes tourism.
VLTC operates river transportation for passengers, bulk cargo haulage, and haulage of petroleum products on the Volta Lake. It also operates cross Lake Ferry services along the lake. |
The Authority, in conjunction with other public agencies, undertakes projects to mitigate the adverse environmental effects of the formation of the Volta Lake resulting from the construction of the Akosombo Dam. These include research and development work.
VRA operates as a local authority for the Akosombo Township, and exercises administrative responsibility over its Akuse Township.
CORPORATE VISION, MISSION STATEMENT
Corporate Vision
The Volta River Authority seeks to achieve excellence as a leading, dependable and financially sound multi-business enterprise that supplies electricity, telecommunications and related services/products to meet the demands of its customers at competitive prices.
Corporate Mission
The Volta River Authority is committed to being the leading supplier of high quality electricity at least cost and ensuring the satisfaction of its stakeholders. It aims to manage a portfolio of viable businesses in generation, transmission, distribution, telecommunications, other energy infrastructure and related services within a privatised business setting.
In line with the objectives of Ghana’s Vision 2020, which among others, maintains that energy shortages should not be a bottleneck to the economic growth of Ghana, VRA is already participating in partnership with private entrepreneurs to develop viable energy resources for Ghana.
VRA strives to achieve a competitive position in the power markets both in Ghana and the West African sub-region and will pursue co-operation with other power utilities to improve reliability of power supply and harness corporate resources.
To our customers, both domestic and foreign, VRA will supply safe, reliable and competitively priced electricity and telecommunication services; and promote efficiency in the use and conservation of power. Thus, it will facilitate socio-economic development and thereby improve the standard of living of Ghanaians.
VRA’s duty to its owner, the state of Ghana, is to maintain a well managed, financially sound and commercially viable, decentralised power utility with subsidiaries that value healthy competition and private sector participation.
To its other financiers, VRA will remain a financially and economically viable corporate enterprise, committed to long-term profitability and meeting its debt servicing obligations.
VRA seeks to provide all its employees opportunities for maximum self-improvement through training and development programmes, tailored to suit individual abilities and corporate needs. It also seeks to provide job security and competitive compensation and benefits package to retain and motivate appropriately skilled employees.
VRA will position itself ahead of any changes/reforms in its area of business. Thus, it is restructuring its operations into independent and viable limited liability companies. Its management framework will encourage entrepreneurship and ensure continuous improvement in its operations. It will operate a transmission business that ensures a policy of open and fair access to all power producers within the Power Sector regulatory framework as provided by law.
VRA will continue to pursue programmes to mitigate the adverse environmental effects of its operations on communities and generally contribute to the health and welfare of such communities. In addition, it is committed to the socio-economic development of the Volta Basin.
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© World INvestment NEws, 1999.
This is the electronic edition of the special country report on Ghana published in Forbes
December 13th 1999 Issue.
Developed by AgenciaE.Tv |
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GHANA
