By Ayomide Oriade
As part of its commitment towards economic evolution of the region, Member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are planning to raise about
$26.416 billion for the completion of various critical
electricity generation and transmission projects under its West African Power Pool (WAPP) framework.
In a proposal presented to member countries of the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authorities (ERERA) at its fourth regional meeting in Banjul, Gambia, ECOWAS outlined the core sections of the project which it aim to achieve within the next four years.
These include the target of additional 7,170 megawatts 2,375MW thermal and 800MW renewable power generation mixes and a 16,000km length transmission line that would interconnect all the West African countries to the regional power pool.
Providing a status update on the electricity interconnection
plan, Director Information and Control Center (ICC) of the WAPP, Babatunde Adeyemo indicated that while the regional body had made inroads in some of its priority transmission projects, it equally plans to add about 7,170MW to its existing power pool and interconnect at least 14 of its member countries by 2017.
