ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION

ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION ON THE POWER SECTOR POLICY HELD ON 2ND -3RD JULY 2010 AT MARINA HOTEL, DODOWA.

INTRODUCTION:
The Energy Commission organized a roundtable discussion on the power sector from 2nd-3rd July 2010 at Marina Hotel, Dodowa to look at issues and challenges confronting the power sector and dialogue with stakeholders in an effort to address the challenges.
The Energy Commission established under the Energy Commission Act, 1997 as part of its object and functions is required to regulate and manage the utilization of energy Resources in Ghana and coordinate policies in relation to them. Furthermore, the Commission is required to advise the Minister of Energy on National Policies for the efficient, economical, and safe supply of electricity, natural gas and petroleum products having due regard to the national economy.
Following from the above-stated, the Commission has among other strategies developed the Power Sector Policy Review paper. The paper takes into account various developments, issues and challenges confronting the power sector and proposals for addressing them.
It is instructive to note that Ghana has been undergoing a power sector reform since 1995. The main goals of the reforms are to improve the performance of the industry players, attract private capital into the power sector and engender competition among the players guided by the overall objective of ensuring quality of supply for consumers.

PURPOSE OF THE ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION.
The Chairman of the Board of the Energy Commission, Professor Abeeku Brew-Hammond in his opening remarks stated that the purpose of the exercise was to focus on key challenges facing the electricity sector- the quest for accelerated increase in generation capacity, improvements in delivery standards and quality of service, enhancing the financial health of utility companies and strengthening governance mechanisms as well as promotion of Renewable Energy technologies.
The Board Chairman also urged discussants to attach a lot of seriousness to the problems of customers in Electricity Supply bearing in mind the erratic power supply situation which is on a daily basis and make suggestions that could be factored into policy proposals to address the problems.
He also talked about the issue of tariffs and pointed out that it was central to everything to be discussed. He stressed that the importance of tariffs should be acknowledged and explained to Ghanaians to face head-on the issue of tariffs. He talked about the issue of options available to us as Ghanaians on the tariffs. These are; the upward adjustments of tariffs to cover the needed investments by Government as the owner of the Public Utility Companies to address the problems confronting the Utilities.
The Board Chairman also touched on Transmission and Distribution of power, National electrification target of electricity for all by the year 2020, Rural Electrification, Prepaid meters for MDAs, something that he urged government on and the installed Generation Capacity of 5,000MW by 2015 as set out by the Government.
Finally, he urged discussants to be Frank in their discussions.

IN ATTENDANCE:
The Roundtable meeting was attended by Board members, EC staff, Power Sector Stakeholders from Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Energy Commission Technical Committee members, Kumasi Institute of Technology and Environment(KITE), Consumers Association of Ghana, Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST), Energy Foundation, Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), Takoradi International Company (TICO), Private Enterprise Foundation (PEF), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Volta River Authority (VRA), Sunon-Asogli Power Plant, Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO) and GECAD.