The Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) has warned that illegal structures and human activities along its high-voltage transmission lines pose serious risks to lives and could disrupt electricity supply.

The company says increasing encroachment on its transmission right-of-way is creating dangerous conditions that could affect the stability of the national power transmission network.

Speaking to JoyNews, GRIDCo’s Director of Corporate Strategy, Samuel Kow Acquah, cited a recent incident at Ashaiman, where a tanker damaged part of a transmission tower, resulting in a prolonged power outage.

“We are seeing increasingly human activities such as these encroachments around our right-of-way that potentially could disrupt power supply,” he said.

According to him, the incident occurred when a tanker being welded came into contact with the transmission infrastructure.

“About two weeks ago, we had a similar incident in Ashaiman where a tanker that was being welded shattered and damaged portions of the transmission tower, and we had to take power out for a number of hours,” Acquah explained.

He said GRIDCo is therefore intensifying its education campaign to warn squatters, encroachers and others who have occupied areas within its right-of-way about the dangers their activities pose to human life and electricity supply.

“We are using this opportunity to educate all encroachers, squatters and people who have illegally occupied our right-of-way about the dangers of doing this—one, to human life, and also the potential destruction to power supply,” he said.

Mr Acquah stressed that GRIDCo was taking technical measures to address bottlenecks within the transmission network and did not want human activities to undermine those efforts.

“We are doing everything technically possible to make sure that the bottlenecks within the transmission network are eliminated. The least we want to have is to have human activities such as these disrupt power supply,” he said.

The awareness campaign, he noted, will continue throughout the month across regions with high levels of encroachment and illegal mining activities.

GRIDCo to Validate Residents’ Claims

On concerns raised by some affected residents regarding discussions with government and changes to the transmission lines, Mr Acquah said GRIDCo would validate such claims before taking further action.

“The areas that the team have marked, we will come back and then do the validation of these claims by the residents. Of course, there will be a human touch to any exercise that we conduct,” he said.

He added that residents who voluntarily vacate the right-of-way would be encouraged to do so, while those who remain after the required notice period could face lawful enforcement action.

“Those who will still be here after the notice period, whatever action legally within our rights will be exercised,” Mr Acquah stated.

Two-Week Moratorium

Mr Acquah disclosed that the two-week moratorium announced by the Minister for Energy Dr John Abdulai Jinapor would expire on September 4, but said affected residents would still be given reasonable notice to vacate the transmission right-of-way before enforcement begins.

He further warned that the high voltage carried by the transmission lines makes living or conducting activities within the right-of-way extremely dangerous.

“We are talking about a line carrying 161,000 volts and, in some instances, 313,000 volts. In your house, you need just 240 volts to power your equipment,” he said.

He explained that activities under the transmission lines could cause electrical induction and potentially lead to a line snapping, creating further problems across the transmission network.

“It is really dangerous to occupy the right-of-way and for activities that would potentially cause induction under the right-of-way. These will be very disruptive to power supply,” he cautioned.

The campaign is being conducted in collaboration with the Information Services Department and the media, particularly in the Ashanti, Eastern, Bono, Western and Western North regions, where GRIDCo says encroachment and illegal mining activities have been particularly prevalent.

Residents Express Concerns

Some residents affected by the exercise, however, have raised concerns about the history of the transmission infrastructure in their communities and possible demolition of their properties and businesses.

One resident said the transmission poles had previously been located further away from the area but were later moved closer to the community.

“We are all worried here because we have been in this area for over 40 years,” the resident said.

The resident, however, indicated a willingness to comply if the reasons for the exercise were properly explained.

We are ready to comply, if only they reason with us, because we are also doing our business here. Our wives, our brothers and sisters are doing their business here,” the resident added.

Another resident expressed concern about the possible demolition of homes and businesses and called for clarity on compensation.

“People are worried because you see the houses, all the rooms and all that. I don't know whether they will do something about that,” the resident said.