The Institute for Energy Security (IES) is demanding stronger safeguards around the temporary power arrangement at the Akosombo Generating Station to prevent technical faults from triggering widespread power outages.

Senior Research and Policy Analyst at IES, Derrick Xatse, said while a permanent solution to the challenges affecting the Akosombo transmission infrastructure is necessary, the interim arrangement must also be resilient enough to withstand disruptions and facilitate the quick restoration of power.

His comments follow Thursday morning’s widespread power outage, which the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) attributed to a fault on the Akosombo–Volta transmission line.

READ ALSO: GRIDCo identifies Akosombo–Volta line fault as cause of widespread power outage

Energy and Green Transition Minister John Jinapor explained that the latest disruption was linked to a temporary arrangement introduced after an earlier incident severely affected the Akosombo transmission infrastructure.

According to Dr Jinapor, government had two options: shut down the Akosombo plant for about six months to completely rebuild the control centre or introduce a temporary system that would allow the plant to continue supplying power while permanent works were undertaken.

Read also: Jinapor appeals for calm after nationwide power outage, says Akosombo works will be completed next month

Government opted for the temporary arrangement to avoid keeping the plant offline for an extended period.

Mr Xatse, however, said the decision must be accompanied by additional safeguards to protect the national power system from further disruptions.

“We need a permanent solution to this, but what we are talking about is resilience. Every system you have a solution to it, but what other measures can you put in place that when you are confronted with challenges, you can still restore power to Ghanaians?” he asked.

He said having a permanent control centre would not be enough if the overall system remained vulnerable to faults and lacked adequate mechanisms to restore power quickly.

The IES also called for sustained investment in Ghana’s transmission infrastructure, arguing that investment in the sector has not kept pace with the volume of electricity being generated and consumed.

Mr Xatse stressed that reliable electricity is critical to businesses and livelihoods, warning that prolonged outages could have significant economic and social consequences.

He therefore urged the "Energy Ministry and GRIDCo to implement additional short-term safeguards alongside the permanent solution to ensure the national grid remains resilient during periods of technical disruption".