WAPP’s ICC Set to Bolster Energy Integration in West Africa

Accra – The West Africa Power Pool (WAPP) Information and Coordination Centre (ICC) will play a pivotal role in achieving integrated energy sufficiency in West Africa, stated Mr. Siengui Ki, General Secretary of WAPP. The ICC, as a strategic initiative, is expected to promote competitive and transparent cross-border electricity trade among ECOWAS Member States.

According to Ghana News Agency, The WAPP, a specialized agency of ECOWAS, was established to develop infrastructure for the production and transportation of electrical energy and coordinate exchanges among member states. The ICC, supported by a European Union (EU) fund of 30 million Euros, is equipped with a modern office complex, coordinating center, and a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems control room. This facility will enable real-time monitoring of the regional interconnected network and facilitate the administration of the Regional Electricity Market.

The ICC will collect essential data from electricity meters on international lines and information on purchases and sales, aiding in planning between companies involved in electricity distribution in West Africa. It will offer choices to buy and sell power generated from thermal, renewable, and hydro sources, with its monitoring system displaying real-time exchange flows across the region.

The inauguration of WAPP, scheduled for November 17, 2023, marks a significant step towards a unified and energy self-sufficient West Africa. Mr. Ki emphasized that the ICC would implement the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Market in Benin Republic, with players including consumers, producers, transporters, and distributors. He assured that WAPP would regulate and supervise the market to ensure openness and transparency.

Mr. Joel Neubert, Head of Cooperation, European Union, highlighted the EU’s support in developing an interconnected, modern, and efficient electricity network. The demand for electricity in the subregion is projected to grow at eight percent annually, and the ICC is expected to promote regional integration in the electricity sector.