- Fire at GRIDCo’s Akosombo substation disrupts power supply in parts of Ghana
A major fire at GRIDCo’s Akosombo Substation on Wednesday afternoon disrupted operations at one of Ghana’s key electricity transmission sites, affecting power generation and supply in some parts of the country.
In a press statement issued from Tema, the Ghana Grid Company said the fire broke out at about 2:01pm at the Akosombo facility in the Eastern Region, triggering operational disruption and power supply interruptions.
“A fire outbreak has been reported at the Akosombo Substation at about 2:01 p.m. today, causing a disruption in operations and power generation,” GRIDCo said. “As a result, power supply has been affected in some parts of the country.”
The company said emergency response teams had been dispatched to the site and were working to contain the situation, assess the extent of the damage and begin technical steps toward restoring normal operations.
“A full evaluation is currently underway to determine the extent of the impact and to enable technical teams to commence processes to restore normal operations as swiftly as possible,” the statement said.
GRIDCo sought to reassure the public that the system was being actively managed. “We wish to assure the public that our technical teams are actively working to manage the situation, and every effort is being made to stabilise the system and minimise disruptions,” it said.
The company also urged calm, saying the situation was under control and that further updates would be issued as more information becomes available.
Images attached to the statement on page 2 show thick smoke rising from the switchyard area and firefighters working on site beside substation equipment, underscoring the seriousness of the incident and the scale of the emergency response.
The disruption matters because Akosombo sits within Ghana’s national transmission backbone. GRIDCo said in the editor’s note that it operates the National Interconnected Transmission System, transmitting electricity from 11 wholesale suppliers to 33 bulk customers and distribution utilities in Ghana and West Africa.
