Ghana faces possible intermittent power outages due to a fire incident at Ghana Grid Company Limited’s (GRIDCo) substation within the Akosombo Hydroelectric Dam complex in the Eastern Region.
Speaking to the media on Friday, the Spokesperson and Head of Communications at the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition Ghana, Richmond Rockson, disclosed that the blaze which occurred on Thursday, April 23, damaged a transmission system with a capacity of about 720 megawatts.
He described the development as “a significant hit,” explaining that the affected system supplies electricity to major parts of the country.
He added, “The system that got affected was about 720 megawatts. That system transmits power to major parts of the country, so this is a significant hit. The Akosombo Dam generates a little over 1,000 megawatts.”
Meanwhile, the cause of the fire is yet to be determined by authorities. Recently, the country has been experiencing temporary power outages, locally known as ‘dumsor’, but President John Dramani Mahama insists they are part of ongoing system upgrades.
While inspecting new transformers acquired for the Northern Electricity Distribution Company Limited (NEDCo), President Mahama noted that “The outages you are facing are not dumsor, it is to enable you to get better quality and stable power.”
As part of efforts to enhance revenue mobilisation in the energy sector and stabilise power supply, the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition says it will introduce standardised, accurate electricity meters from next month to boost revenue mobilisation and stabilise power supply.
The Minister disclosed this while answering questions on the floor of Parliament on Monday, March 16. According to him, all households will benefit from upgraded electricity infrastructure.
“Next month, we will start the large-scale rollout of transformers. Within that same month, we should see a much more massive injection of new, standardised, and accurate meters. That is how we can make sure that there is guaranteed revenue for investment. All meters procured are tested. I can assure you that these meters are of high quality; they meet the standards, and they do the job they are supposed to do,” he said.
His comments come amid growing concerns from sections of the public, who claim they are being overcharged and that their prepaid credit no longer lasts as long as before.
Meanwhile, the Communications Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), William Boateng, has asserted that heat conditions, wiring, and earthing are most likely contributing factors to excessive electricity consumption affecting its customers.
This was in response to concerns from sections of the public who have made claims of being overcharged and that their prepaid credit no longer lasts as long as before.
In an interview on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem, Mr. Boateng advised customers to frequently check for possible electrical faults in their homes.
“When the heat increases, someone can even double the use of cooling appliances. That alone can affect your consumption. Sometimes the issue may be with wiring or earthing. That is why we have certified electrical contractors who can check whether there is leakage or any fault affecting consumption,” he said.”
Mr. Boateng urged customers who notice irregularities in their billing to report them directly to ECG for investigation, so that engineers can inspect the meter, review consumption patterns, and identify the cause of the problem.
“We work with machines; it is not about defending anything. There could be a margin of error. If your bill exceeds what you expected or your credit finishes unusually fast, report it to ECG,” he urged, adding that, “When customers report, we can properly investigate, analyse the situation, and resolve it if there is a genuine problem,” he assured.
Last year, the Director-General of the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Professor Alex Dodoo, warned of the dangers associated with uncalibrated electricity meters, which were in use nationwide.
These uncalibrated metres, being utilised by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), he said, did not guarantee the protection of consumers and also are not able to hold industry accountable for fair charges.
Calibration of meters ensures that energy usage is measured accurately, preventing overbilling or underbilling for consumers.His comments came amid growing public concerns of overbilling, inconsistent power supply, and inefficiencies in the power-producing company’s services.
Speaking at a stakeholder conference organized by the International Electrotechnical Commission yesterday, May 20, 2025, in Accra, Prof. Dodoo revealed that many ECG meters in circulation had not been calibrated or verified by the Ghana Standards Authority, as has been mandated by the National Instrumentation Regulation NI2413.
“Very few of our meters have been calibrated and verified by the GSA. If the meter you are using has not been calibrated or verified by the Ghana Standards Authority, as required by NI2413, its accuracy is questionable. We simply cannot vouch for it,” he said.Prof. Dodoo said meters not being calibrated put consumers at risk of under- and overbilling.
The NI2413 law mandates that all electricity meters in circulation must be calibrated and verified by the GSA to ensure accuracy, fair billing, and energy efficiency.
Additionally, the Weights and Measures Decree, NRCD 326 of 1975, empowers the GSA to oversee legal metrology, ensuring that measuring instruments used in trade and industry meet standardized accuracy requirements.
However, to resolve this, he mentioned that his outfit is currently working with the ECG and Public Utility and Regulatory Commission (PURC) to configure the millions of meters currently in circulation in the country.
“The law states it must be verified and calibrated. Thankfully, we are working with ECG and PURC to ensure that all the millions of meters in Ghana are properly calibrated and verified by the GSA,” he noted.
He also linked the issue to national development, emphasizing its importance in the government’s ambition to implement a 24-hour economy.
“And I know it’s a very troubling issue. But as we support the President in rolling out a 24-hour economy, it’s important that we provide the quality infrastructure that will make the 24-hour economy succeed,” he concluded.
Prof. Dodoo revealed that many ECG meters in circulation had not been calibrated or verified by the Ghana Standards Authority, asIn the same year, the government, through the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, approved the procurement of 200 new transformers for the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to strengthen power transmission and distribution to major cities across the country.
The sector minister, John Abdulai Jinapor, made information public on May 28, 2025, during the opening session of the 18th West Africa Mining and Power Exhibition (WAMPEX) at the Grand Arena and Accra International Convention Centre (AICC) in Accra.The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) made a formal request for 200 new transformers in April 2025, and after barely a month, the government gave the green light for the deployment of the transformers.
“Despite the challenges we inherited, recent reports show that power generation has been very stable” What we need to do is improve the transmission and distribution network. In this regard, I have granted approval to ECG as a matter of urgency to inject about 200 transformers in our major capital cities in order to ensure that we not only generate power but we can distribute power to (sic) consumers effectively and efficiently,” Mr Jinapor said.
Minister Jinapor noted that initial challenges with power generation have been stabilized, and Ghana is now exporting electricity to neighboring countries.
The current focus is on improving power transmission and distribution systems.WAMPEX, the largest forum for mining and power industries in West Africa, attracted over 240 exhibitors from 30 countries and more than 5,000 visitors this year.
The event, however, provided a platform for industry professionals, policymakers, and stakeholders to discuss challenges, innovations, and future opportunities.
