The government is taking steps to regulate the establishment and operation of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations amid concerns that the rapid expansion of the facilities could place excessive pressure on electricity infrastructure.
The Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr John Abdulai Jinapor, said legislation currently before Parliament would require operators of EV charging stations to obtain approval from the Energy Commission before setting up their facilities.
Speaking at the 2026 Future of Energy Conference in Accra on Tuesday, August 25, Dr Jinapor said the proposed regulation had become necessary due to the growing demand for EV charging infrastructure and the increasing amount of electricity required to charge modern Electric Vehicles.
He explained that establishing charging stations without first assessing the capacity of the electricity infrastructure in a particular location could overload transformers and lead to frequent failures.
Dr Jinapor noted that advances in EV technology were intensifying the challenge, with some newer vehicles capable of being fully charged within five to 10 minutes.
He said such rapid-charging technology could draw significant amounts of electricity within a short period, potentially placing considerable strain on local distribution networks and transformers.
According to the Minister, the proposed approval regime would ensure that EV charging stations were strategically located and connected to electricity infrastructure capable of supporting their operations.
Dr Jinapor stressed that Ghana must embrace the transition to electric mobility but cautioned that the expansion of charging infrastructure must be properly coordinated to safeguard the stability, reliability and sustainability of the country’s power supply system.
