Omanghana
John Abdulai Jinapor, Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, delivered a national update on April 27, 2026, outlining the government’s response to recent power outages and its broader strategy to stabilize the energy sector in Ghana.
The minister highlighted progress following the fire incident at the Akosombo Dam substation on April 23, which disrupted electricity supply across parts of the country. He announced that two major generating units have been successfully restored, contributing about 280 megawatts back to the national grid. According to him, all six units at the facility are expected to be fully operational by the end of the week, with nationwide power supply likely to stabilize within the same period.
In response to the incident, the minister also directed the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Grid Company to step aside while investigations are conducted into the cause of the fire.
Jinapor explained that the intermittent outages are largely due to years of underinvestment and aging infrastructure, particularly overstretched transformers. As part of immediate interventions, the government installed 200 transformers in April 2026 and plans to add another 140 in the following week. The long-term target is to deploy more than 2,500 transformers nationwide by the end of the year.
He added that key upgrades are already underway at major bulk supply points in areas such as Adenta, Lashibi, and Teshie-Nungua, with additional reinforcement planned for Kumasi in June 2026.
Despite current challenges, the minister noted that Ghana’s power sector is gradually stabilizing. He revealed that the country is currently exporting about 300 megawatts of electricity to neighboring countries including Burkina Faso and Benin. However, he pointed out that the government still requires approximately $700 million to procure fuel needed to address existing gas supply deficits.
To improve revenue collection and reduce losses, the government also plans to transition public institutions to prepaid electricity meters in the near future.
Looking ahead, the ministry is finalizing a five-year strategic plan aimed at increasing renewable energy’s share in the national mix to 10 percent, excluding large-scale hydropower. The initiative will include the rollout of solar-powered irrigation systems and the installation of 23,500 solar streetlights to enhance both energy sustainability and public safety.
The update reflects ongoing efforts by the government to address immediate power supply issues while laying the foundation for a more resilient and diversified energy sector.
Source: Omanghana
