IES demands stronger safeguards amid temporary Akosombo power arrangement

The Institute for Energy Security (IES) is urging stronger safeguards for the temporary power arrangement at the Akosombo Generating Station. Senior Research and Policy Analyst at IES, Derrick Xatse, emphasized the need for resilient measures to prevent widespread power outages during technical faults. The Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) recently reported a widespread outage caused by a fault on the Akosombo–Volta transmission line.

Energy and Green Transition Minister John Jinapor explained that the temporary solution was chosen to prevent the Akosombo plant from being offline for six months to rebuild the control center. However, Xatse stressed that the temporary arrangement must be accompanied by additional safeguards to maintain power system resilience.

He questioned whether the current setup would suffice if confronted with further disruptions, highlighting the importance of quick power restoration. The IES also called for increased investment in Ghana's transmission infrastructure, noting that current investment levels have not kept pace with the power generation and consumption.

Xatse warned that prolonged power outages could have severe economic and social consequences, urging the government and GRIDCo to implement short-term safeguards alongside the permanent solution to ensure the national grid's resilience during technological disruptions.