A brief power outage on the Akyawkrom 2 feeder on Tuesday, June 11, 2025, has once again drawn attention to the persistent threat wildlife poses to Ghana’s power infrastructure.
According to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the disruption occurred when a snake bridged the feeder to the ground at Kwaso in the Ejisu Municipality, cutting off power supply to parts of the Ashanti Region.
The ECG’s Ashanti Sub-Transmission Line Maintenance Team responded swiftly, restoring full power to all affected substations by 3:39 p.m. Both Akyawkrom 1 and 2 interconnectors were brought back online.
Though the outage was resolved quickly, officials say it reflects a wider challenge to system reliability in regions where electrical infrastructure borders dense vegetation.
“Wildlife, especially snakes and birds, continue to pose real threats to grid reliability,” said Ing. Peter K. Fletcher, General Manager of ECG Ashanti Sub-Transmission. “Today’s outage was brief, but it highlights the need for continued investment in wildlife mitigation infrastructure.”
He noted that ECG is scaling up the installation of snake guards, sealing cable entries more tightly, and clearing vegetation around substations. Additionally, the company is deploying motion and thermal sensors at high-risk locations to improve early detection.
ECG is also encouraging the public to support efforts to protect power infrastructure.
“Our customers are our first line of defence,” said Mr. Manu, a spokesperson for the ECG team. “When they report animal sightings near feeders or substations, we can act swiftly to prevent outages.”
