The national power transmission network has reached a “higher-risk zone,” according to the Institute for Energy Security (IES), following ten years of significant demand increase that did not result in corresponding grid infrastructure investment.
The research tank cautions that this structural mismatch now jeopardises the nation’s reputation as a regional power exporter, industrial competitiveness, and energy security.
System peak demand increased from about 1,933 megawatts (MW) in 2015 to about 4,280 MW in 2025, more than doubling over the period at a sustained annual growth rate of more than 8%, according to an analysis of data from the Energy Commission and the Finance Ministry of Ghana published by the IES.
The biggest single-year demand increases were reported in 2018, 2024, and 2025, at roughly 328 to 334 MW, suggesting that consumption pressures are increasing rather than decreasing.
Instead of being cyclical or transient, the IES has described this demand trend as structural in nature, driven by economic expansion, demographic growth, and increased energy availability.
The IES stated in a statement that “demand rises every year, indicating structural, not temporal growth, except for minor slowdowns,” implying that the demand curve would not self-correct and that the investment response must be maintained and adequate.
Generally speaking, the transmission network has kept up with the growth in consumption. The infrastructure that transports electricity from producers to consumers has not.
Congested transmission routes, increasing technical losses, ageing and overworked equipment, and a diminished ability to effectively evacuate generated electricity to load centers were the results noted by the IES.
When taken as a whole, these circumstances pose a direct risk to supply reliability and grid stability.
The ramifications go beyond domestic dependability. Ghana has long held a key position in the West African Power Pool as a net electricity exporter, using cross-border energy trading to generate income and diplomatic clout.
The IES cautioned that Ghana’s ability to compete in the regional electricity market and avoid the export earnings that a well-maintained system would support are currently being hampered by declining transmission capacity.
According to the Institute, “Without immediate intervention, the transmission network faces heightened risks, including increased frequency of system disturbances, reduced ability to evacuate generated power efficiently, higher operational costs arising from system inefficiencies, and growing constraints on regional electricity trade.”
The IES suggested a series of coordinated transmission interventions, such as replacing outdated transformers and substation equipment at crucial network nodes; building more high-voltage circuits to increase bulk power transfer capacity; reinforcing important transmission corridors to eliminate single-point failure vulnerabilities; investing in reactive power compensation to support voltage stability and renewable energy integration; and replacing existing conductors with high-capacity alternat
The IES discovered that chronic funding restrictions that restrict sector organisations’ ability to carry out large-scale infrastructure upgrades have been the main cause of the poor pace of transmission investment, which underlies all of them.
In addition to stronger regulatory frameworks that can support cost recovery, better interagency cooperation, and the strategic prioritisation of transmission within national energy planning, the research urged for creative finance alternatives, such as public-private partnerships.
Given Ghana’s current financial situation, the financing aspect is very important. The nation’s fiscal headroom for significant public transmission investment is constrained since it manages legacy energy sector debt commitments and operates under an International Monetary Fund program.
The IES emphasised that the resilience of Ghana’s transmission infrastructure is more important for the sustainability of the country’s power industry than generation capacity.
“The decisions taken today regarding transmission infrastructure investment will determine the reliability, efficiency, and competitiveness of the power sector for decades to come. Decisive action is not optional, it is imperative,” it stated.
Source: newsthemegh.com