Electricity Distribution in the Northern Zone

The Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Volta River Authority (VRA), oversees electricity distribution in northern Ghana. Its current operations cover about 64% of Ghana’s geographical area and is the sole distributor of electricity in the Upper East, Upper West, North East, Savannah, Northern, Bono, Bono East, Ahafo and parts of Oti, Ashanti, and Western North regions. In 2023, NEDCo served about 20.25% of the total distribution utilities customer population of 5,937,212.

Grid Electricity Purchase, Sales and Losses Incurred by NEDCo (GWh)

The losses refer to the difference between the amount of electricity NEDCo buys from GRIDCo and what it manages to sell to its customers. These losses fall into two categories: technical and commercial. Technical losses result from inefficiencies in the power grid. Commercial losses occur when customers do not fully pay for the electricity they use, which can happen due to billing errors, non-payment, or electricity theft.

Percentage (%) Electricity Distribution Losses

NEDCo’s percentage of distribution losses (both commercial and technical) compared to the total energy purchased in Ghana has increased significantly since 2010. In 2022, the loss percentage was 28.3%, and it increased further to 31.0% in 2023.

NEDCo's Average Electricity Interruption Frequency

System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI) measures how often a customer experiences power outages during an operational year. The regulatory benchmark permits up to six outages annually in metro, urban, and rural areas.

In 2023, none of the areas met this benchmark. The frequency of outages averaged 25.2 in metro areas, 24.7 in urban areas, and 64.8 in rural areas. Although there have been efforts to improve service reliability, all three areas exceeded the allowed number of interruptions, indicating significant challenges remain.

NEDCo's Average Electricity Interruption Duration

System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) measures the average duration of power outages for the distribution system during an operational year. The regulatory benchmark for permitted outage duration varies by area: 48 hours for metro areas, 72 hours for urban areas, and 144 hours for rural areas.

In 2023, NEDCo’s distribution areas recorded an average interruption duration of 38 hours in metro areas, 37 hours in urban areas, and 105 hours in rural areas. It is worth noting that none of the areas surpassed their respective regulatory benchmarks.