Power Generated But Cannot Be Transmitted After Akosombo Substation Fire – ECG Ashanti West PRO
The Public Relations Officer for ECG Ashanti West, Benjamin Obeng Antwi has explained that recent nationwide power outages are due to damage at the GRIDCo substation in Akosombo, which has disrupted the transmission of electricity into the grid despite ongoing power generation in the country.
Mr Obeng Antwi made this known in an interview with Opemsuo Radio’s Kofi Boakye on Nkwantannso, where he detailed how the incident has affected electricity supply.
According to him, the fault at the Akosombo substation damaged critical components including the control room, relays, and switchgear, making it impossible for engineers to safely transmit power from Akosombo into the grid.
“The issue is not that there is no power. The challenge is how to move it,” he stated.
He explained that although electricity generation has not been affected and no transformers were damaged, the damage to transmission infrastructure has created a bottleneck in power delivery.
Mr. Obeng Antwi noted that Akosombo normally supplies between 1,020 and 1,100 megawatts, representing about 25% of Ghana’s peak electricity demand of approximately 4,400 megawatts.
According to him, the sudden inability to transmit this power has created a significant shortfall, with the Ashanti Region experiencing more severe impacts due to its reliance on the eastern transmission corridor.
“If that amount is suddenly unavailable, there will obviously be a shortfall,” he said.
He further disclosed that until Monday April 27, 2026, no power was being transmitted through the affected corridor, which placed additional pressure on other generation sources feeding the grid.
Mr. Obeng Antwi said engineers have since begun restoration works and are currently using alternative transmission routes to move power from Akosombo to Tema while full repairs are underway.
He referenced updates from the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr. John Jinapor, indicating that two out of six affected units have already been restored, with more expected to come soon.
He added that by the end of the week, all six units are expected to be fully operational, allowing over 800 megawatts of electricity to be evacuated into the grid.
He stressed that constructing a new substation is not an immediate solution, as such infrastructure would take several months to complete.
Mr. Obeng Antwi assured the public that GRIDCo and ECG engineers are working continuously to restore stable power supply nationwide and appealed for patience as recovery efforts continue.
