A major power outage that left vast parts of Ghana in darkness on Thursday afternoon has now been explained by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo)—and the cause has stunned many.
According to a joint report by the two entities, a tipper truck caused the entire disruption when it accidentally damaged a key section of the country’s power infrastructure.
The vehicle, which was working at a private construction site situated near the Nkawkaw-Konongo transmission line, reportedly raised its bucket while discharging stones. In doing so, the elevated bucket came into direct contact with one of the live conductors of the transmission line, leading to substantial damage.
The impact from this single action was so severe that it caused the sudden shutdown of all power generation units at the Aboadze and Anwomaso plants.
This failure immediately affected electricity supply to multiple regions, including the Western, Central, Northern, and Greater Accra areas, throwing millions of residents and businesses into total darkness without warning.
The blackout led to widespread frustration, traffic congestion, and disruptions in both commercial and residential activities.
Once the cause was identified, ECG and GRIDCo quickly mobilised a team of engineers to assess the damage and begin emergency repairs. The damaged transmission line became the focus of round-the-clock restoration efforts, with both institutions assuring the public that their teams were working tirelessly to bring power back.
In an effort to ease growing public anxiety and backlash, the two utility providers issued a public apology, acknowledging the unexpected nature of the incident and the inconvenience it caused.
They also provided reassurance that all affected areas were expected to have their electricity restored by 6 p.m. the same day.
While restoration efforts progressed, many Ghanaians took to social media and local news platforms to express concerns about how a single construction vehicle could pose such a widespread risk to the national grid.
The incident has also raised questions about safety protocols and the need for stricter enforcement of buffer zones around critical infrastructure.
Authorities are yet to release information about any sanctions or penalties for the private developer involved, but the event has once again highlighted the fragile nature of Ghana’s electricity network and the importance of protecting key infrastructure from accidental or negligent damage.
Source; NewsandVibes.com
