Ghana lacks resources to immediately fix outage-causing infrastructure – Nsiah

Ghana's director of the Centre for Environmental Management and Sustainable Energy, Benjamin Nsiah, has expressed concern over the nation's inability to promptly address the root cause of recent nationwide power outages. Describing the issue as worrisome, Nsiah stated that while power demand in the Volta Enclave has risen over time, the outdated infrastructure supplying it, dating back to the 1980s, is unable to meet the increased need.

Nsiah, speaking on Adom TV’s weekend show, Nanwotwi Yi, explained that when demand surpasses supply, it can lead to system trips or control room disruptions. He acknowledged this as a significant challenge, but noted that Ghana might not have the financial capability to address the situation immediately. Nsiah suggested that resolving the issue could take up to a year for a sustainable fix, and that such problems may recur periodically.

Additionally, he cautioned the Energy Ministry about the accuracy of information shared with the public, pointing out that the minister initially claimed the control room issue had been resolved, only for it to reoccur. Nsiah emphasized the importance of clear communication and recommended system planners and managers consider implementing parallel or dual redundant lines to ensure continuous power supply when one line fails.