Blackout: Akosombo control station works to be completed next month – Energy Minister insists

The Minister for Energy and Green Transition in Ghana, Dr John Abdulai Jinapor, has announced that the final restoration of the original power transmission system at Akosombo is expected to be completed next month. This announcement comes in the wake of a nationwide power disruption that occurred on August 20, 2026, leaving parts of the country without electricity.

GRIDCo, the Ghana Grid Company Limited, identified the cause of the blackout as a trip in the power transmission lines. This marks the second major power system incident to occur in August, sparking concerns over the reliability of Ghana's transmission network.

Dr Jinapor revealed that the current challenges are directly linked to a fire incident at the Akosombo switchyard. This incident prompted authorities to implement a temporary transmission arrangement. Initially, engineers had considered shutting down the Akosombo power station until the control center was fully restored, a process that could have taken up to six months. However, to avoid prolonged blackouts, Dr Jinapor opted for a temporary solution using relays to transmit power directly from Akosombo to Tema.

While this temporary arrangement is not robust, Jinapor explained that it was necessary to keep Akosombo operational and prevent more significant disruptions. Unfortunately, this temporary setup has been implicated in the two major system disturbances recorded this month.

Despite these setbacks, restoration work on the original transmission arrangement is progressing. Four out of the six required components have already been completed. Dr Jinapor stated that the remaining two components should be finished by next month. Once completed, the power system is expected to revert to its original configuration, thereby improving its resilience and reducing the likelihood of future blackouts.