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

Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) has issued a warning regarding illegal structures and human activities encroaching on its high-voltage transmission lines. These actions pose significant risks to lives and could disrupt electricity supply to the national power transmission network, according to the company. A recent incident at Ashaiman, where a tanker damaged a transmission tower, led to a prolonged power outage, highlighting the potential consequences of such encroachments.

GRIDCo's Director of Corporate Strategy, Samuel Kow Acquah, has intensified an education campaign to warn encroachers and squatters about the dangers their activities pose to both human life and electricity supply. The company is also taking technical measures to address bottlenecks within the transmission network and will validate residents' claims regarding concerns raised by affected residents.

A two-week moratorium on enforcement, announced by the Minister for Energy, will expire on September 4, but residents will still receive reasonable notice before enforcement begins. The campaign is being conducted in collaboration with the Information Services Department and the media in the Ashanti, Eastern, Bono, Western and Western North regions, where encroachment and illegal mining activities have been prevalent.