The ongoing power outages in various parts of the country cannot be attributed to faulty generators, according to Benjamin Boakye, the Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP). Boakye urged both the power sector managers and the government to acknowledge the nation’s power generation issues as the cause behind the outages.
During an appearance on the Ghana Tonight show on TV3 on Monday, March 11, Boakye contested the notion that the numerous reported faulty and overaged transformers were solely responsible for the power disruptions. He emphasized that the root cause lies in a generation problem, specifically the inadequate availability of gas and liquid resources needed for electricity generation.
Boakye criticized the claim that the Electric Company of Ghana (ECG) had insufficiently invested in transformer replacements, pointing out that substantial funds had been allocated for ECG’s retooling when the Power Distribution Services (PDS) took over in 2016. He questioned the allocation of funds, considering the reported inefficiencies and the ongoing issue of transformer replacements.
Earlier in the month, Samuel Dubik Mahama, the Managing Director of the ECG, had mentioned maintenance issues as a contributing factor to the power cuts. Boakye challenged this explanation and stressed the need for accurate information and appropriate measures to address the underlying generation problem.
On March 11, 2024, the ECG provided additional details, indicating that 630 distribution transformers in various communities were at full capacity due to increased power demand. This situation could lead to blown fuses and broken conductors, causing outages, particularly during peak load periods (7 pm – 11 pm) in affected areas. The ECG assured customers that transformer upgrading and new projects were underway to alleviate these issues and ensure a more reliable power supply. Customers were urged to report localized outages or voltage fluctuations for prompt rectification through the ECG Call Center or social media channels.
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