The Institute for Energy Security (IES) is calling for a thorough investigation into Ghana’s two recent nationwide power outages, saying the incidents raise concerns about weaknesses in the country’s electricity supply system.
IES Research and Energy Security Analyst Smith Boahene said the two outages occurred at different points in the power value chain and should be critically assessed to determine their root causes.
Speaking in an interview on Thursday, August 20, 2026, Mr Boahene said the first major outage, recorded about three weeks ago, followed a disturbance in the transmission system that affected large parts of the country.
The latest outage, meanwhile, has been attributed by GRIDCo to a fault around the Akosombo transmission line.
According to Mr Boahene, the repeated disruptions could point to issues such as delayed maintenance, inadequate investment or ageing equipment.
“If you look at the two scenarios, for example, it conflates a system failure, which needs a critical interrogation,” he noted, stressing the need for the system operator to explain the challenges affecting grid operations.
Mr Boahene said although the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has spent about GH¢200 million on system upgrades and maintenance, more information is needed on the condition of the broader electricity infrastructure.
He said without a clear account of the challenges affecting the power sector over the past four to six weeks, stakeholders would struggle to properly assess the state of grid operations.
The IES is therefore urging relevant authorities to investigate the recent outages and introduce concrete measures to prevent similar disruptions in the future.
