IPPG Raises Concern Over Ghana’s Power Outages, Calls for Reform

The International Perspective for Policy and Governance (IPPG)expresses deep concern over the ongoing challenges facing Ghana’s energy sector, particularly the persistent power outages affecting households, commercial, and industrial consumers. What began in February as a series of localised outages and maintenance works has grown into a national emergency following the fire at the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) substation at the Akosombo Hydroelectric Dam on April 23, 2026. The incident, among others, destroyed the substation switchyard and primary control room, forced the immediate suspension of electricity exports, and resulted in the loss of approximately 960MW of low-cost and dependable generation capacity, which triggered widespread load shedding. What is particularly concerning is emerging media evidence that the current disruptions are not driven solely by technical faults but also point to underlying shortfalls in available generation capacity.

IPPG acknowledges the government’s recent actions, including the procurement of 2,500 distribution transformers, the establishment of a Technical Committee to investigate the Akosombo fire, and the allocation of funds for network improvements. These steps signal recognition of the scale of the challenge. However, emergency spending or responses do not substitute for the required sector reform to put the sector on a sustainable path. The Akosombo power station fire is also one of the many occurrences that expose the extent to which the sector remains vulnerable to single points of failure.

IPPG calls on the Government of Ghana, the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, PURC, ECG, and GRIDCo to move beyond emergency measures and commit to the deep and lasting reforms Ghana’s electricity sector needs.  Strengthening system resilience requires a shift in how the sector is planned and managed. The sector’s challenges are well known and well documented, as highlighted in our recent report “Securing Ghana’s Energy Future: Policy Actions for Sustainability and Efficiency”.  Addressing them will require consistent implementation, clear accountability, and disciplined investment.

IPPG thus recommends the following immediate actions to address the ongoing challenges:

1. The government and its system operators should outline a realistic pathway to stabilize and restore supply, with consistent public communication on progress and the steps being taken to resolve the Akosombo substation damage and related system issues.

2. The full findings of the Technical Committee investigating the Akosombo fire should be published, with clear accountability for identified failures.

3. A transparent and regularly updated load shedding timetable should be published and maintained to allow households and businesses to plan effectively.

4. The government and its system operators should outline a realistic pathway to stabilize and restore supply, with consistent public communication on progress and the steps being taken to resolve the Akosombo substation damage and related system issues.

5. Government should prioritize the expansion of distributed renewable energy, particularly solar, by introducing targeted incentives and removing regulatory barriers to accelerate adoption across households and industry.

Signed.
Dr. Eric Agyemang
Policy Analyst.