Power Outages: Ghana Deploys 2,500 Transformers

John Dramani Mahama has assured Ghanaians that recent power outages being experienced in parts of the country are not a return to the prolonged electricity crisis known as “dumsor”, but are linked to ongoing infrastructure upgrades.

The President gave the assurance during a visit to the Northern Electricity Distribution Company as part of his “Resetting Ghana” tour, amid growing concerns over intermittent electricity supply.

He explained that the disruptions are the result of efforts to strengthen the country’s electricity distribution network and improve long-term reliability.

Mahama disclosed that the government had procured about 2,500 transformers under the first phase of a broader intervention aimed at replacing ageing and overloaded equipment nationwide.

“I’ll appeal to our people. The outages you are facing are not ‘dumsor.’ It is to enable you to get better quality and stable power. Any time transformers are being replaced, people in affected areas should be informed so they are aware their lights will be off for a while,” he said.

The President noted that many transformers currently in use have become inadequate due to population growth and expanding communities, adding that some installations dating back decades can no longer meet present demand.

He expressed optimism that the ongoing upgrades would significantly stabilise power supply upon completion, stating that the exercise would be implemented in phases to ensure sustained improvement.

Mahama also welcomed the increasing local production of transformers, describing it as a boost to domestic capacity within the energy sector.

“One of the things I’m happy about is that a lot of these transformers are made in Ghana. It helps multiply the benefits for our country. I look forward to the day when all our transformers will be produced locally, helping us fully stabilise the power situation in our country,” he added.

He further called on the Electricity Company of Ghana and NEDCo to improve customer service, particularly in responding to complaints and resolving faults promptly.

“NEDCo, ECG, we must now improve our customer response time. And so we need a system where when customers call, there’s a quick response to either rectify faults,” he said.

Also speaking, the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, said the rollout of the new transformers had already commenced in parts of the country, including Tamale, Accra and Tema.

He added that further installations were planned for Kumasi and other regions, noting that the first phase of the programme is expected to last three months before progressing into medium- and long-term targets.

Jinapor said the intervention is designed to address overloaded transformers, reduce outages and enhance overall system stability. He appealed to the public to remain patient during the upgrade process, assuring that customers would receive prior notice of planned outages.

The government said the initiative forms part of a broader strategy to modernise Ghana’s electricity distribution network, improve reliability and prevent a recurrence of past power supply challenges.