Government has placed emergency engineering response and institutional accountability at the centre of efforts to manage the fallout from the recent fire at the Akosombo substation that disrupted electricity supply across parts of the country.
Addressing the Government’s Accountability Series press briefing in Accra, Minister for Energy and Green Transition Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor described the incident as one of the most serious operational disruptions in Ghana’s power sector in recent times.
The fire damaged the control room responsible for power evacuation at Akosombo, stranding over 1,000 megawatts of power and triggering widespread supply challenges.
Dr. Jinapor said engineers and technical teams have been working around the clock to restore operations, with two generating units already brought back online and efforts continuing to restore the remaining units.
He commended the technical teams for what he described as dedication and professionalism in responding to the emergency under difficult conditions.
The Minister also announced the formation of a technical committee chaired by Ing. William Amuna to conduct an independent investigation into the cause of the fire, while security agencies pursue parallel investigations into the incident.
He said the probe will help establish the facts surrounding the disruption and inform measures to strengthen system protection and emergency response.
The Ministry has also directed the Electricity Company of Ghana to provide regular updates to the public on affected areas and restoration efforts as work continues to return the system to full normalcy.
Dr. Jinapor stressed that while disasters of such nature may not be entirely predictable, government’s priority remains rapid and coordinated response without compromising safety.
He expressed confidence that engineers are working toward restoring full normalcy within the week.
The response to the Akosombo disruption comes within a broader effort by government to stabilise the power sector following what the Minister described as a generation deficit inherited at the close of 2024.
According to him, reforms over the past fifteen months, including improved fuel supply arrangements and timely payments for gas and power generation, have helped strengthen overall sector performance.
Energy analysts say the restoration effort at Akosombo highlights the importance of technical preparedness and rapid operational response in maintaining national energy security, particularly during major system disruptions.
Government says it remains focused on restoring supply stability while strengthening institutions and infrastructure needed to support a more resilient power sector.
By: Christian Kpesese
