ACEP raises alarm over deepening power crisis; calls for structural reforms and transparency
The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) has expressed grave concern over Ghana’s worsening power crisis, warning that persistent outages are eroding economic activity, disrupting livelihoods, and weakening confidence in the country’s energy system.
In a press statement issued on April 27, 2026, ACEP noted that households, businesses, and public institutions have endured over a month of intensified power interruptions, with the situation aggravated by a recent fire outbreak at GRIDCo’s Akosombo substation.
According to the policy think tank, the incident has taken out approximately 960 megawatts (MW) of relatively low-cost and reliable generation capacity, triggering widespread load shedding across the country.
Irregular communication deepens public frustration
ACEP acknowledged efforts by power system operators to communicate planned outages but criticised the process as inconsistent and unreliable.
The organisation observed that outages have frequently extended beyond announced areas, affecting communities not captured in official notices—further heightening public frustration and uncertainty.
It also questioned explanations attributing outages to ongoing transformer upgrades and replacements, citing past instances where similar claims by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) were later discredited by independent audits conducted by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC).
“Even where such technical works are ongoing, the scale and persistence of the outages suggest deeper systemic challenges,” ACEP stated, pointing to longstanding issues including gas supply constraints, weak maintenance regimes, and planning inefficiencies.
Caution against reactive policy responses
ACEP urged the Minister for Energy and Green Transition to avoid short-term, reactionary measures in addressing the crisis, warning that past emergency interventions have often resulted in costly and unsustainable contractual obligations.
Instead, the organisation called for a comprehensive approach that tackles structural vulnerabilities within the power sector, including liquidity constraints among utilities, governance lapses, and inadequate infrastructure planning.
“The current situation presents an opportunity to confront entrenched weaknesses in the sector and implement lasting reforms,” the statement emphasised.
Demand for thorough investigation into Akosombo fire
The think tank further stressed the need for a credible and far-reaching investigation into the Akosombo substation fire, describing the incident as a major systems failure that raises concerns about operational standards and oversight.
It maintained that an outage of such magnitude points to possible managerial or systemic lapses, underscoring the importance of accountability and preventive measures.
Immediate measures proposed
To stabilise the situation and restore public confidence, ACEP outlined a set of urgent interventions:
- Publication of a clear and reliable load-shedding timetable to enable effective planning by consumers
- Transparent communication of timelines for restoring lost generation capacity
- Independent investigation by PURC into both the fire incident and broader outage challenges
- Full public disclosure of investigative findings, including any evidence of negligence or systemic failure
ACEP concluded that restoring stability in the power sector will require not only emergency responses but sustained efforts to strengthen transparency, accountability, and long-term planning across the entire electricity value chain.
