The Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, has announced that two of the stricken generating units at the Akosombo Dam have been successfully restored, following a ferocious fire that gutted the facility’s main control room and crippled the nation’s power evacuation system.
Delivering an update during the Government Accountability Series on Monday, April 27, Mr Jinapor disclosed that emergency technical teams had worked under “extremely difficult conditions” – with some engineers remaining on the dam site for three continuous days without leaving – to bring the first unit back online on Sunday, followed by a second unit just hours before his address.
“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 blaze, which Mr Jinapor described as “one of the most serious and unprecedented disruptions ever experienced in Ghana’s power sector,” had completely destroyed the control room responsible for channelling electricity from the nation’s largest hydro plant. At the peak of the crisis, more than 1,000 megawatts of power lay stranded at Akosombo, triggering supply shortfalls that hit the Ashanti Region, the Central Region, and the Tema industrial enclave particularly hard.
“When you lose the control room, it means that on the spur of the moment, you cannot evacuate any power,” the Minister explained, offering a rare glimpse into the technical catastrophe. “It is crippling a critical component of the transmission system.”
Despite the visible frustration among affected households and businesses, Mr Jinapor confirmed that work is actively ongoing to bring a third unit back into operation, with engineers now deploying innovative bypass technology around the scorched infrastructure. “We will move swiftly, but we will not seek to cut corners. Safety remains paramount,” he stressed.
In a tribute, the Minister singled out the engineers from the Volta River Authority and GRIDCo for special commendation. “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.
To ensure the root cause of the fire is established, Mr Jinapor has constituted a Technical Committee chaired by Ing. William Amuna, while security agencies conduct parallel criminal investigations. He has also directed the Electricity Company of Ghana to issue regular public updates on affected areas and restoration timelines.
Beyond the immediate crisis, the Minister disclosed a nationwide Transformer Upgrade and Replacement Programme, revealing that about 200 transformers have already been installed in April 2026, with another 140 expected this week. High-capacity transformers are being deployed at key Bulk Supply Points in Adenta, Lashibi, and Teshie-Nungua, while transmission reinforcement works in Kumasi are slated for June.
“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 said, appealing for public patience as engineers race to return the remaining units to full operation within the week.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh