The Volta River Authority (VRA) says an ongoing project to connect the electricity grids of countries in West Africa could prove a major revenue source. The interconnection would make it possible for power to be supplied to and from all the countries on the network. Whilst there is some form of connectivity between Ghana, Ivory Coast and Benin, work is yet to begin on a connection to Burkina Faso and Mali. Deputy Chief Executive of the VRA, Kirk Koffie, told Joy Business on the sidelines of a conference of Energy Ministers in the West African power pool that almost half of the work to interconnect the sub-region is already done. “As we speak now, the line between Aboadze (in Takoradi) and Tema is [almost] finished. We’re just about starting the constructions of the line between Tema and Togo/Benin. When that is completed, we’re looking at going up north,” he hinted. He said the interconnectivity is necessary to ensure Ghana can sell electricity to its neighbouring countries where cost of electricity is high. This, according to him, will translate into reality plans by government to become a net exporter of energy. “The VRA is positioning itself very well to be able to add on additional generation to make sure that we have more than adequate to sell in the country…to make electricity easily available to the people in the sub-region,” he said. Source: Joy Business/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana