GRIDCo Restores Power to Greater Accra Following Critical 161kV Tower Replacement

The Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) has successfully restored power supply to several communities and businesses across the Greater Accra Region after completing the replacement of a damaged transmission tower on the 161kV Tema-Achimota line. The critical maintenance work, which took place on Sunday, August 23, 2026, necessitated a planned 15-hour power interruption from 3:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. GRIDCo expressed gratitude to the public for their patience during the operation, which was essential for maintaining the safety and integrity of the national electricity grid.

The transmission tower, located in the Ashaiman section of the line, had been severely compromised following a previous tanker explosion. To facilitate the replacement process safely, GRIDCo coordinated with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to manage outages across the Accra West and Accra East operational areas. Affected localities included prominent neighborhoods such as James Town, Mamprobi, parts of Kaneshie, Nima Township, and Madina. Officials emphasized that the shutdown was unavoidable to ensure the protection of both the technical crews and the regional power infrastructure.

Following the successful restoration of services, GRIDCo has issued a stern reminder regarding the legal protections of its infrastructure. The company has set a firm deadline of September 12, 2026, for all individuals and businesses encroaching on high-voltage transmission line Right-of-Way (RoW) corridors to vacate. This directive follows a mandate from the Minister for Energy, which requires the cessation of all unauthorized activities within these zones to prevent future accidents and facilitate easier access for emergency maintenance.

GRIDCo warned that it will collaborate with statutory institutions to remove all unauthorized structures and halt illegal activities within the pylon buffer zones once the September 12 deadline passes. The company reiterated that such encroachments violate the Transmission Line Protection Regulations and pose a significant risk to public safety and power stability. Moving forward, the utility provider intends to intensify its enforcement of RoW protocols to protect the 161kV network and prevent the kind of infrastructure vulnerabilities that led to the recent repairs.