Power Distribution Services Ghana (PDS Ghana Limited), was an electricity distribution company in

Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...

. The company's operation covered about thirty percent of the total land mass of the country. Formerly, and as a public company, its operations were under the

Ministry of Energy A ministry of energy or department of energy is a government department in some countries that typically oversees the production of fuel and electricity; in the United States, however, it manages nuclear weapons development and conducts energy-rela ...

of Ghana. Together with

Northern Electricity Distribution Company Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCO) is an electricity distribution utility company in Ghana. The company is a subsidiary of the Volta River Authority, the main electricity generation company in the country. The company is the sole s ...

, they supplied all of Ghana's electricity demands as well as some other

West African West Africa, also known as Western Africa, is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Ma ...

countries. PDS took over Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) on 1 March 2019. The company initiated many periods of load shedding which increased in recent times, and gained traction in popular culture under the term

dumsor In Ghana, ''dumsor'' ( 'off and on') is a persistent, irregular, and unpredictable electric power outage. It is usually caused by a power supply shortage. Terminology The term is derived from two separate words from the Asante dialect, Asante Tw ...

. Ownership was eventually reverted back to the ECG. The Controversy The Power Distribution Services (PDS) Ghana Limited takeover was a controversial deal that saw the Ghanaian government award a 25-year concession to PDS to manage the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG). The deal was signed in March 2019, but was suspended in July 2019 following allegations of fraud. The government subsequently terminated the deal in October 2019. On June 17, 2025, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) disconnected the Weija treatment plant operated by Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) from the national power grid due to an outstanding debt of GH¢999.6 million.

History

Enacted as a result of Parliament's Energy Commission Act of 1997 (Act 541), the Energy Commission assumes a pivotal role in Ghana's energy landscape. Its primary mandate revolves around the meticulous regulation, strategic management, comprehensive development, and optimal utilization of the nation's diverse energy resources. By diligently overseeing these critical aspects, the Energy Commission actively contributes to the sustainable growth and efficient operation of Ghana's energy sector, ensuring its alignment with both national priorities and international best practices. The Energy Commission is the key regulator for Ghana's energy sectors and advises the government on energy matters. The company's main focus is providing electricity to Ghana's people with commercial integrity and overseeing rural electrification projects for the government.

References

{{reflist Electric power companies of Ghana Government of Ghana Energy companies of Ghana

History

See also

References