The Ghana Grid Company Ltd. (GRIDCo) has successfully completed the reconstruction of a critical transmission tower on its 161kV Akwatia–New Obuasi line, following extensive damage caused by illegal chainsaw operations.
The incident, which occurred on March 17, 2025, significantly disrupted power supply to Kumasi and parts of Ghana’s middle belt, affecting electricity reliability in the region.
“Our maintenance engineers quickly moved in on the same day of the outage and started work to restore the line.
“Unfortunately, their assessment showed extensive damage, requiring heavy-duty equipment to widen access to the point of fault, dismantle the damaged tower and conductors, and reconstruct a new tower in its place.”
Ghana Grid Company Ltd. (GRIDCo)
The Akwatia–New Obuasi transmission line is a key infrastructure supplying power to Kumasi and portions of Ghana’s middle belt. The disruption has led to power fluctuations, affecting businesses and households.
Residents in Kumasi expressed frustration over the prolonged outage, with some calling for stricter enforcement against illegal logging activities near transmission lines.
GRIDCo confirmed that as of April 17, 2025, the reconstruction of the new tower has been completed. The remaining conductor stringing works are expected to be finalized by Sunday, April 20, 2025, after which full power restoration will be achieved.
“The outage to the line has significantly affected the quality of supply since the incident.
“We appreciate the patience of affected residents and assure them that full restoration is imminent.”
Ghana Grid Company Ltd. (GRIDCo)
This situation highlighted the urgent need for GRIDCo to invest in infrastructure monitoring and for law enforcement to crack down on activities that threaten national assets.
The incident also underscored the delicate balance Ghana’s power sector must maintain between ensuring reliable supply and safeguarding infrastructure against both natural and human-induced threats.
GRIDCo’s Call to Action Against Illegal Activities
GRIDCo used the opportunity to highlight the risks posed by illegal chainsaw operations and galamsey activities, which frequently damage critical national infrastructure.
“GRIDCo wishes to draw attention to the negative effects of illegal chainsaw operators (and sometimes ‘galamsey’ operations) whose activities often damage our electricity transmission infrastructure across the country.”
Ghana Grid Company Ltd. (GRIDCo)
Such disruptions, the company warned, not only endanger lives and property but also threaten the stability of national electricity supply, especially in densely populated urban areas like Kumasi.
The transmission company urged the public to assist in curbing these illegal activities, emphasizing the need for community vigilance and stricter enforcement measures.
GRIDCo apologized to residents of Kumasi and surrounding communities for the inconvenience caused by the outage.
The company assured stakeholders of its commitment to delivering a stable and resilient transmission network across Ghana and the West African sub-region.
“We regret the challenges brought on as a result of the damage to the line.
“We remain committed to ensuring uninterrupted power supply and urge the public to support efforts aimed at protecting Ghana’s transmission infrastructure.”
Ghana Grid Company Ltd. (GRIDCo)
As GRIDCo nears full restoration of the transmission line, industry experts stress the importance of preventative measures to safeguard critical infrastructure.
Illegal activities near transmission lines pose a serious threat to national energy security. Authorities must implement stricter regulations and surveillance to mitigate these risks.
As the final phase of repair work concludes, GRIDCo is expected to restore full transmission capacity to Kumasi and the middle belt by April 20.
The utility has also reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with relevant stakeholders, local authorities, and the general public to preserve the integrity of Ghana’s national grid.
With electricity at the heart of Ghana’s socio-economic development, incidents like the Akwatia–New Obuasi tower collapse serve as stark reminders of how fragile national systems can be — and the critical role community vigilance must play in ensuring their resilience.
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