A major power disruption has plunged large parts of southern and middle Ghana into darkness following a fire outbreak at the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) substation at Akosombo, significantly reducing electricity supply to multiple regions.
In a series of public notices issued on Saturday, April 25, 2026, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) confirmed that the incident had affected power distribution across the Ashanti Region, Central Region, and Tema enclave.
According to ECG, the fire at the Akosombo substation disrupted bulk power transmission, leading to outages in both residential communities and key industrial zones.
Ashanti Region Hard Hit
In the Ashanti Region, dozens of communities experienced outages, including Abakomade, Abuakwa, Tanoso, Mim, Edwenase, Santasi, Kwadaso Estate, Sokoban, Apromase, Ejisu, and parts of Kumasi and its surrounding districts. Major educational and residential areas such as KNUST, Kentinkrono, and Ayeduase were also affected.
Central Region Experiences Disruptions
In the Central Region, the outage impacted key areas within Cape Coast and nearby communities, including Pedu, Abura, Kakumdo, Adisadel Estate, Ola, Siwdu, and the Industrial Area. Critical service zones such as the Regional Police Station, Cape Coast Technical University (CCTU), and parts of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) enclave were also hit.
Industrial Activity Slows in Tema
The industrial hub of Tema recorded significant disruptions, with factories and processing plants among the hardest hit. Affected facilities include Olam Grains, Sentuo Ceramics, Western Castings, Nestlé, Fan Milk, Toyota Warehouse, and Tema Steel. Port-related operations at GPHA Terminals 1 and 2, as well as logistics enclaves such as APM Terminals and Reefer Terminal Asadtek, were also impacted.
Other affected areas in Tema include Communities 25 and 26, Kpone, Adom Estates, Afienya, and parts of Tema New Town.
ECG Assures Swift Restoration
ECG assured customers that engineers are working urgently to restore power supply once the fault at the GRIDCo substation is resolved.
“ECG wishes to assure affected customers that our engineers are standing by to restore supply as soon as the challenge is rectified,” the company stated, while expressing regret for the inconvenience caused.
Economic and Social Impact
The outage is expected to have immediate economic implications, particularly for manufacturing firms and cold-chain businesses in Tema, as well as commercial activities in Kumasi and Cape Coast. Small businesses, healthcare facilities, and households across the affected regions have also been disrupted.
The incident highlights ongoing vulnerabilities in Ghana’s power transmission infrastructure, especially the central role of the Akosombo corridor in national electricity distribution.
Investigations into the cause of the fire are expected, while pressure mounts on authorities to ensure redundancy measures and faster response systems to prevent future widespread outages.
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