Ghana to regulate EV charging stations over pressure on electricity grid

Ghana plans to regulate the establishment of electric vehicle charging stations amid concerns that their uncontrolled expansion could place uneven pressure on the country’s electricity distribution network.

President John Dramani Mahama said the location of charging facilities must be properly planned to prevent them from being concentrated in areas where existing transformers and substations cannot support the additional electricity demand.

The Ministry of Energy and Green Transitions is developing an electric vehicle policy that will set rules for businesses seeking to establish charging stations across the country.

“A few people have started establishing charging stations. If this is not regulated, it could lead to imbalances in our energy system,” President Mahama said.

He was speaking at the commissioning of the Zonda Tec Ghana Limited Assembly Plant in Tema.

Grid capacity to determine locations

The President said decisions about where to establish charging stations would have to consider the capacity of the electricity infrastructure serving each proposed location.

He warned that allowing too many facilities to operate within the same area could put excessive pressure on transformers and substations, potentially affecting the stability of electricity supply.

The comments indicate that businesses may face new technical and location requirements before they are permitted to establish EV charging facilities.

However, the President did not disclose when the policy would take effect or provide details about the licences, technical standards and approval processes that operators could be required to meet.

It is also unclear from the information provided whether existing charging stations will have to obtain fresh approval or make infrastructure changes once the regulations are introduced.

EV policy heading to Cabinet

President Mahama said the Ministry of Energy and Green Transitions would submit the proposed electric vehicle policy to Cabinet before regulations were introduced.

The policy is expected to provide a framework for the development of charging infrastructure as Ghana’s electric mobility sector expands.

The government also intends to promote solar-powered charging stations, according to the President.

Solar charging could reduce the amount of electricity drawn directly from the national grid, although the President did not provide details about possible incentives, funding arrangements or implementation timelines.

The proposed regulations will be important for EV owners and businesses considering investments in charging infrastructure. The availability, location and reliability of charging stations are likely to influence the adoption of electric vehicles in Ghana.

For electricity distributors, the policy could provide a system for coordinating new charging facilities with available network capacity.