Flood-hit Power Facilities Leave Parts of Accra in Darkness

Power supply has been cut to several parts of Ghana's capital, Accra, after two major electricity substations were shut down due to severe flooding caused by heavy rainfall.

The affected facilities are the Mallam and Achimota Primary Substations. The shutdown came after continuous rain from Sunday night into Monday flooded critical parts of the electricity system. The move affected homes, businesses and other electricity users connected to the two substations.

Heavy rainfall can flood electricity facilities and create serious dangers. Water can damage transformers, switchgear and other important equipment. It can also expose workers and members of the public to the risk of electric shock. Electricity companies often switch off power in such situations until the facilities become safe.

The Ghana Grid Company Ltd. (GRIDCo) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) said flooding affected key power infrastructure at the substations. The companies said they decided to shut down electricity supply to protect lives, property and the electricity network from further damage.

They also said engineers are checking the condition of the transmission and distribution system to determine the extent of the damage caused by the flooding.

More areas may face temporary outages

GRIDCo and ECG said electricity supply could also be switched off in other locations if flooding creates safety risks. The companies explained that such action would only be taken where it is necessary to protect people, property and electricity facilities.

The companies urged residents to stay away from damaged electricity equipment and report any fallen electricity poles, exposed or fallen power lines, flooded electrical installations or any other electricity danger to the nearest ECG office or through the company's customer service channels.

They said quick reports from the public would help emergency teams respond faster and reduce the risk of accidents.

GRIDCo and ECG apologised to customers affected by the power disruption. They said work to restore electricity would begin once weather conditions improve and engineers confirm that it is safe to return the substations to service.