Government procures over 2,000 transformers as Ghana’s electricity access hits 89.13% – Energy Minister

The Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr John Abdulai Jinapor, has announced that the government has procured more than 2,000 transformers to strengthen electricity distribution, improve power reliability and support growing demand across the country.

He said the investment formed part of broader interventions in generation, transmission and distribution aimed at improving the stability and efficiency of Ghana’s power system.

Addressing the 2026 Energy Sector Performance Review Retreat, Dr Jinapor disclosed that electricity access had increased to 89.13 per cent, while installed generation capacity had reached 5,854 megawatts (MW).

He added that renewable energy capacity had also increased to 345MW, reflecting progress in efforts to diversify the country’s energy mix.

The minister acknowledged that 2026 had been a particularly challenging year for the power sector, especially following the fire at the Akosombo Switchyard in April, which resulted in the loss of more than 1,000MW and placed considerable pressure on the national electricity system.

He commended the Volta River Authority (VRA) and the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) for their technical response and coordination during the incident.

“I commend VRA and GRIDCo for the technical expertise, resilience and coordination they demonstrated during that difficult period, and for their efforts to minimise the impact on the national system,” he said.

Dr Jinapor said the government had continued investing in transmission infrastructure, with several projects ongoing across the country. He cited the commencement of the process towards constructing the Ho–Asiekpe transmission line as part of efforts to strengthen the national grid.

“We were recently here to boost the transmission system and commence the process towards the construction of the Ho–Asiekpe transmission line. These investments are critical because generation alone is not enough,” he stated.

“We must have the transmission and distribution infrastructure to deliver reliable power to homes, businesses and industry,” he added.

On generation, the minister disclosed that eight of the ten units of the Anwomaso Thermal Plant had been commissioned, with six currently in service. He said the project was expected to generate 250MW by the end of 2026.

He further revealed that the renegotiation of independent power producer (IPP) agreements had received approval from Cabinet and Parliament, supporting the government’s efforts to improve the financial sustainability of the power sector.

Dr Jinapor also provided an update on the proposed Accra–Kumasi 330kV transmission line, indicating that the consultant tender had been evaluated and the scoping report and Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) had been completed.

Despite the progress, he said outstanding challenges relating to transmission infrastructure, distribution efficiency, project financing and the implementation of key programmes required continued attention.

Looking towards 2027, the minister said the government would focus on translating plans and commitments into measurable outcomes, while expanding electricity access and ensuring that additional generation capacity was delivered in line with growing demand.

He also called for accelerated implementation of renewable energy initiatives, including solar projects, the completion of 35 mini-grids, expansion of solar home systems and net-metering, clean cooking initiatives and advancement of the Ghana Nuclear Power Programme.

“Let us therefore use the lessons of 2026 to strengthen our institutions, deepen our resilience, improve our performance and deliver tangible results for the Ghanaian people,” he said.

Dr Jinapor said the broader objective was to establish an energy sector that was reliable, affordable, sustainable and resilient enough to support Ghana’s economic transformation.

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.