Parts of Ghana are experiencing renewed power outages, with industry sources attributing the disruptions to operational challenges at the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo).
The interruptions come years after the country’s prolonged power crisis, widely known as “dumsor”, which was largely linked to generation shortfalls. Unlike that period, the current outages are said to stem from logistical and operational constraints rather than insufficient power generation.
Over the weekend, sections of Kumasi were without electricity for several hours. In Accra, residents of Ablekuma Newtown and Joma reported being without power from Saturday through Sunday following a faulty transformer.
Residents said the transformer problem had recurred several times without a permanent fix. Engineers from the Ablekuma ECG office were unable to restore supply and reportedly escalated the matter to the regional office.
However, enquiries by Kumasi Mail suggest the transformer fault may be symptomatic of broader challenges facing the company.
Sources within ECG told Accra News that the company is grappling with shortages of essential operational materials, including transformer oil, ring main units, transformers and underground cables. Other reportedly unavailable items include termination kits, cable jointing kits, vehicle engine oil, tyres and batteries.
Some operational vehicles are said to be grounded due to a lack of tyres and batteries, limiting the company’s ability to respond swiftly to faults.
The reported shortages also extend to safety apparel, electricity meters and various low-voltage (LV) and high-tension (HT) fuses.
Energy analysts say the situation raises concerns about the preparedness and proactiveness of ECG’s current management, particularly after government introduced a one-cedi levy per litre of fuel – popularly known as the “Dumsor Levy” – to help stabilise the power sector.
The levy was aimed at addressing financial and structural challenges within the energy sector following years of power supply instability.
ECG and NEDCo have not yet publicly responded to the latest claims about shortages of operational materials.
If confirmed, the developments could pose a significant threat to stable electricity supply across the country, affecting homes, businesses and essential services.
Below is the list of operational materials ECG is lacking:
1. Transformer oil
2. Ring Main Unit
3. Transformers
4. 3x185sq.mm underground cables
5. 1x240sq.mm underground cables
6. 3×185 termination kits
7. 1×240 termination kits
8. Engine oils for vehicles
9. vehicles Tyres
10. 11kV cable jointing kits
11. Operational Vehicles
12. Vehicles batteries
13. Safety aperels
14. Meters
15. Various LV fuses
16. Various HT fuses
Source: www.kumasimail.com
