GRIDCo warns encroachers as activities under high-voltage lines threaten power supply

Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) has cautioned against encroachment on its high-voltage transmission lines, warning that such activities pose significant risks to human life and could disrupt electricity supply. GRIDCo's Director of Corporate Strategy, Samuel Kow Acquah, spoke to JoyNews about recent incidents where a tanker damaged a transmission tower and a tanker containing welding material shattered, causing a power outage in Ashaiman.

Acquah emphasized the company's increasing concern over human activities encroaching on its right-of-way, which could threaten power stability. GRIDCo is intensifying its education campaign to warn encroachers and squatters about the dangers their actions pose to both human life and power supply stability. The company is also taking technical measures to address transmission network bottlenecks but is concerned that human activities could undermine these efforts.

The awareness campaign will continue throughout the month in regions with high levels of encroachment and illegal mining activities. GRIDCo is willing to validate residents' claims and will determine actions based on those validations. When asked about the upcoming two-week moratorium announced by the Minister for Energy, Acquah noted that it would expire on September 4, but assured that affected residents would still be given sufficient notice before enforcement.

GRIDCo is collaborating with the Information Services Department and the media, particularly in regions where encroachment and illegal mining activities are prevalent. Residents have expressed concerns about the history of the transmission infrastructure in their communities and possible demolition of their properties. Some residents are willing to comply if the reasons for the exercise are properly explained, while others seek clarity on compensation for potential property and business losses.