Investigations underway into fire at Akosombo substation to determine culpability – Energy Minister

^{The Minister of Energy and Green Transition, Dr John Jinapor, has announced that national security investigations have commenced into the fire incident that occurred at the Akosombo substation to determine culpability.}

^{He says the investigations will determine the way forward.}

^{“The National Security is also conducting investigations into the matter to establish culpability,” he said.}

^{Asked whether the Akosombo substation had been insured, he said the “investigations will establish that.”}

^{Dr John Jinapor announced that two power generation units at Akosombo have been brought back into operation adding about 280MW to the national grid.}

He said a third unit is expected to come on stream shortly to add another 140MW.

^{He further says that all six units should be back in operation by close of this week.}

^{Addressing a press conference in Accra on Monday, April 17, he said “I am determined to work with the team to overcome these challenges.}

^{“Despite the loss of Akosombo, all the other plants are running, but it leaves a major deficit. I wish to you assure you that I deeply empathize with you. We never saw it coming, we never anticipated, but we will rise above this.}

^{“The first-generation unit was successfully installed yesterday. The second unit has also been brought and is generating power. The 3rd unit is undergoing installation.”}

^{Over the weekend, John Abdulai Jinapor asked the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) Mark Awuah Baah to step aside pending investigations into the incident.}

^{The directive was announced by Minister of Information Felix Kwakye Ofosu via his X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday, April 26.}

^{The fire, which occurred on April 23, 2026, knocked between 720 megawatts and nearly 1,000 megawatts off the national grid, forcing a full suspension of electricity exports and prompting a nationwide audit of energy infrastructure.} 

^{Beyond GRIDCo, Kwakye Ofosu also confirmed a major leadership shake-up within the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in the Ashanti Region, where a significant power outage swept across residential neighbourhoods, commercial centres, and industrial zones  following the Akosombo incident.}