The government of Ghana has been ordered to pay $111.5 million to Ghana Power Generation Company (GPGC) following a ruling by a District of Columbia Court in the United States.
This ruling was granted in favor of GPGC after Ghana failed to respond to an earlier tribunal ruling from the United Kingdom, which found the country in breach of a power purchase agreement.
The court’s decision comes after Ghana terminated its contract with GPGC on February 18, 2018. The UK tribunal, in its final award dated January 26, 2021, found that Ghana had violated its contractual obligations, resulting in significant financial damages for GPGC.
The tribunal initially awarded GPGC $134.3 million in damages, calculated using the Early Termination Payment formula as specified in the purchase agreement.
Ghana, however, did not comply with the tribunal’s verdict, prompting GPGC to pursue the matter in U.S. courts. On January 19, 2024, GPGC filed a lawsuit in the District of Columbia, citing the Federal Arbitration Act and the New York Convention, which provides for the recognition of international arbitration awards.
Court documents reveal that the petition was formally delivered to Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration on January 23, 2024.
Despite receiving the legal documents, Ghana failed to respond to the court proceedings by the March 29, 2024, deadline. This non-response led the U.S. court to grant a default judgment in favor of GPGC.
Chief Judge James E. Boasberg emphasized that the arbitral judgment fell under the New York Convention, which requires member states, including the United States, to recognize and enforce international arbitration awards.
He further noted that Ghana had voluntarily submitted to international arbitration when entering the power purchase agreement, waiving its sovereign immunity in the process.
Although GPGC was not awarded pre-judgment interest, Ghana will be obligated to pay post-judgment interest at rates set by U.S. law.
This adds an additional financial burden to the $111.5 million judgment as the payment accrues further interest over time.
The country narrowly avoided a separate $11 billion arbitration award in the infamous P&ID case, which was eventually overturned due to findings of corruption and bribery.
However, in the GPGC case, multiple European courts have upheld enforcement orders, leaving Ghana with limited legal recourse.
The court’s decision is expected to place added pressure on Ghana as it faces mounting financial obligations related to international arbitration disputes.
GPGC has indicated that it will pursue all available legal avenues to ensure full recovery of the damages awarded by the tribunal, including possible enforcement actions in other jurisdictions.
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