The Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) has announced a 15-hour power outage in parts of Accra today, Sunday, August 16, 2026, to carry out an emergency repairs on a damaged transmission tower at Ashaiman.
The planned interruption, GRIDCo says, is scheduled from 3:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. to allow their engineers replace the damaged tower on the 161kV Tema–Achimota transmission line.
A Sunday, August 16, 2026, statement issued by the Company says the tower, located at Ashaiman Middle East, was damaged after a fuel tanker exploded while welding work was being carried out on its tank within the Right-of-Way (RoW) of the transmission line.
According to GRIDCo, the repair works are necessary to restore the structural integrity of the tower and ensure the continued reliability of the transmission line.
It expressed apology to customers who would be affected by the outage and appealed to them to exercise patience and cooperate with the team as they restore the transmission line.
The incident has also renewed GRIDCo’s concerns about unauthorised activities within transmission line corridors.
The company said activities carried out within the Right-of-Way could endanger lives, damage critical infrastructure and undermine the reliability of the country’s power transmission network.
In the statement, GRIDCO cited the Transmission Line Protection Regulations, 1967 (L.I. 542), as amended by L.I. 1737 of 2004, which restrict activities within protected transmission corridors.
Among the prohibited activities are unauthorised construction, excavation and drilling, as well as the operation of shops, garages, lorry parks and other commercial activities that could interfere with transmission infrastructure.
It further referred to a directive issued by the Minister of Energy and Green Transition, Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor, directing persons, businesses, land users and other entities occupying transmission line Rights-of-Way unlawfully to stop such activities and vacate the affected areas within one month.
Per the Minister’s directive, all structures and commercial activities including heavy vehicle parking, welding and excavation within protected transmission corridors should not be entertained.
GRIDCo said that after the one-month compliance period, it would work with Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, statutory institutions and security agencies to enforce the directive.
Unauthorised structures and activities within the affected corridors could consequently be removed, while persons who fail to comply facing enforcement action under the law.
The Company urged traditional authorities, landowners, businesses, local authorities and members of the public to help keep transmission corridors free from encroachment.
It stressed that the Rights-of-Way are protected infrastructure zones and are not intended for unrestricted occupation or commercial activities.
GRIDCo commences power restoration efforts after early morning disturbance affects national grid
