In October 2017, Citi News reported that Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) was losing about GHc 6 million a month on the Teshie-Nungua seawater desalination plant. GWCL paid financiers GHc 8 million monthly but earned only GHc 2 million from the water. The plant of about 60,000 m³/day, commissioned in April 2015, cost 126 million dollars. Befesa Desalination Developments Ghana, backed by Abengoa and Sojitz, ran it under a 25-year deal. GWCL bought water at about GHc 6.5 per m³ and sold it at a regulated GHc 1.5.
The report showed how a long-term water purchase agreement could strain a utility when purchase price and regulated tariff were far apart. The economics depended on the contract, not on the plant.