Consulting Services, Project Implementation Consultant (Energy Sector)

Description of the project:

The module “Program for Results – ECG Performance Improvement Program (P4R EPIP)” in Ghana's energy sector is part of the EZ Program, “Responsibility for Our Planet: Climate and Energy.” This program aims to support Ghana's climate goals and foster sustainable and inclusive economic development by improving the financial sustainability of the energy sector and creating favorable conditions for investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency. The program addresses critical challenges faced by the state-owned Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), such as high non-technical losses, low revenue collection efficiency, and inadequate operational performance. These issues result in significant annual financial losses, burdening ECG and straining the national budget due to government subsidies, thereby hindering essential investments in the energy sector and other critical areas. The P4R EPIP seeks to improve ECG’s financial and operational performance, contributing to the sustainability of Ghana’s energy sector. It aligns with the Energy Sector Recovery Programme (ESRP) to tackle high debt levels and limited investment capacity. These efforts indirectly support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7, 9, and 13. 

Requested Services:

• Performing an audit and collecting data: Conduct an audit of all registered and unregistered customers in target regions to identify old or/and faulty meters in the target regions. Collect geospatial data and relevant attributes for customers, transformers, streetlights, and other distribution network elements for use in a Geographic Information System (GIS);
• Replacement and installation of meters: Replace old or/and faulty electricity meters and install new meters at potentially identified illegal connections in the target regions. This includes the procurement, installation, and integration of electricity meters into ECG’s relevant IT systems. The current estimate for the number of meters to be installed is approximately 250,000; 
• Meter procurement and integration: Procure, install, and integrate electricity meters into the IT systems at regional and district borders in the target regions to enhance the accuracy of electricity consumption measurement and support targeted measures to reduce system losses. 
• Regional Meter Control Centers: Establish ten Regional Meter Control Centers (MCC) across all ECG operational regions, modeled after the existing center in Accra, to ensure compatibility with ECG’s IT systems and monitor meter performance; 
• Facilities for women: Set up separate changing rooms for women and childcare facilities in ECG’s regional and district offices in the target regions; 
• Upgrade of overloaded transformers: Replace overloaded distribution transformers to reduce technical losses and improve efficiency, as transformer losses increase exponentially with higher loads; 
• Promoting gender equality: all the above-mentioned measures should aim to promote gender equality. This will be achieved by specifically targeting women when recruiting new employees, such as for the installation or reading of meters. Some of the training courses provided by the implementation consultant will be developed in collaboration with groups like “Women in Engineering” and “Power Queens” and will be tailored specifically for women. Furthermore, attention will be given to ensuring a balanced representation of women and men within the Project Implementation Unit (PIU).