A widespread power outage that disrupted electricity supply across much of Ghana on Thursday, May 1, has been traced to a tipper truck accident near a key transmission line, according to a joint statement from the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
The blackout, which struck at exactly 1:42 p.m., occurred when a tipper truck discharging stones at a private construction site near the Nkawkaw–Konongo Transmission Line accidentally lifted its bucket into a high-voltage conductor.
The collision caused significant damage to the transmission infrastructure and triggered a cascading failure across the national grid.
“This incident caused all power plants at Aboadze and Anwomaso to trip, taking off supply to the Western, Central and Northern parts of the country, as well as some customers in Accra,” the statement said.
It was signed by Dzifa Bampoh, GRIDCo’s Manager of Corporate Communications, and William Boateng, ECG’s Director of Communications.
In response, engineers from both power agencies were swiftly deployed to the site to begin emergency repairs.
The statement indicated that restoration work was underway with the aim of returning full power to all affected areas by 6:00 p.m. on the same day.
GRIDCo and ECG have apologised to affected customers and appealed for patience as engineers continue efforts to stabilise the national grid.
The incident, which left both residential and industrial users without power for several hours, has reignited public concern over the fragility of Ghana’s power infrastructure and the risks posed by unregulated construction activities near transmission corridors.
Read the full statement below:
