In a bold demonstration of inter-regional collaboration and technical excellence, engineers from the Accra and Ashanti Sub-Transmission teams of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) have successfully resolved a complex fault involving a jammed 33kV Schneider GIS circuit breaker at the Ridge Bulk Supply Point (BSP) in Kumasi.
The critical component, part of the 13F2 GRIDCo Incomer, had seized on Monday, 16th June 2025 at 14:05hrs, triggering an operational challenge with far-reaching implications.
The jammed mechanism halted switching operations, resulting in a load shedding of 18MW that affected select parts of Ashanti West and South for three consecutive days.
Upon escalation, ECG’s Accra Sub-Transmission swiftly dispatched two of its finest engineers — Gilbert Koomson and Isaac Akrofi-Obeng — to Kumasi.
Arriving early Tuesday morning, 17th June 2025, the duo began working alongside the Ashanti team to dismantle, inspect, and reassemble the complex breaker mechanism — a feat rarely undertaken in ECG’s operational history.
Their hands-on work stretched from 8:00am to 11:00pm that day. Undeterred by the intensity and time constraints, they resumed the next day, Wednesday 18th June into the early hours of Thursday 19th June, finally resolving the fault by 8:00am.
What made their intervention particularly commendable was the manual un-piecing and reassembly of the internal mechanism — not once, but twice — under pressure and without precedent.
Their action not only restored the GRIDCo incomer but also spared ECG the costly and time-consuming deployment of a mobile breaker from Accra under a certificate of emergency.
Director of Operations, Ing. Emmanuel Akinie, commended the team for their resilience and excellence:
“Thank you, Gilbert, Isaac, and the Ashanti team. I was monitoring the progress of work. Along the line, we were planning to bring in mobile breakers as a temporary measure. You saved the company big time as your dedication to duty and expertise prevented us from transporting the mobile breaker from Accra to Kumasi. We are proud of you. Kudos, and once again, thank you.”
The achievement stands as a testament to ECG’s growing capacity to respond to high-voltage equipment faults internally, reducing downtime and enhancing supply reliability across the network.
As Nelson Mandela once said, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” The success of this operation is a powerful reminder that commitment, collaboration, and competence can turn even the most daunting tasks into historic wins.
