Two of the damaged producing units at the Akosombo Dam have been successfully restored, following a devastating fire that burnt the main hydro facility’s control room and disrupted Ghana’s power evacuation system last week.
The Minister of Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, provided an update at a press conference in Accra on Monday, April 27, 2026.
He stated that the emergency technical teams had worked under “extremely difficult conditions,” with some engineers staying on the dam site for three days straight without leaving, to bring the first unit back online on Sunday, followed by a second unit just hours before his address on Monday afternoon.
“I am pleased to report that, through emergency technical interventions and sheer determination, the first generating unit was successfully restored yesterday. This afternoon, I received confirmation that the second unit has also been successfully synchronised,” the Minister told pressmen.
The control center in charge of directing electricity from the biggest hydroelectric plant in the country was totally damaged by the fire, which Mr. Jinapor called “one of the most serious and unprecedented disruptions ever experienced in Ghana’s power sector.”
Over 1,000 megawatts of electricity were stuck at Akosombo at the height of the crisis, causing supply shortages that mainly affected the Tema industrial enclave, the Ashanti Region, and the Central Region.
The Minister gave a unique insight into the technical disaster by explaining, “When you lose the control room, it means that on the spur of the moment, you cannot evacuate any power.”
“It is crippling a critical component of the transmission system.”
Mr. Jinapor affirmed that efforts are actively on to restore a third unit, with engineers currently using cutting-edge bypass technology around the burnt infrastructure, despite the obvious annoyance among the impacted homes and businesses.
“We will move swiftly, but we will not seek to cut corners. Safety remains paramount,” he emphasised.
In an homage, the Minister gave special recognition to the engineers from GRIDCo and the Volta River Authority.
“Your dedication, professionalism, and unwavering commitment in the face of this challenging situation are truly commendable. Let me state without equivocation that I am immensely proud of you,” he said.
While security authorities carry out concurrent criminal investigations, Mr. Jinapor has established a Technical Committee led by Ing. William Amuna to guarantee the identification of the fire’s primary cause.
Additionally, he has instructed the Electricity Company of Ghana to provide the public with frequent information on impacted areas and restoration schedules.
In addition to the current problem, the Minister revealed a national Transformer Upgrade and Replacement Program, stating that about 200 transformers have been placed since April 2026 and that an additional 140 are anticipated this week.
While transmission strengthening work in Kumasi is scheduled for June, high-capacity transformers are being installed at important Bulk Supply Points in Adenta, Lashibi, and Teshie-Nungua.
“We are restoring what has been disrupted. We are replacing what is no longer fit for purpose. And we are building a stronger, more resilient power system for the future,” Mr Jinapor stated, pleading with the people to be patient while engineers work quickly to get the remaining units back up and running by the end of the week.
Source: newsthemegh.com