Ghana's ECG Expands Power Grid Maintenance Across Region

Residents in Ghana's Ashanti Region are getting better power reliability thanks to an expanding maintenance program that fixes problems before lights go out.

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has reinforced its "Operation Keep the Light On" initiative after recent power interruptions worried residents about returning to the dreaded "dumsor" era of scheduled blackouts. But ECG's General Manager for Ashanti East, Ing Daniel Mensah-Asare, confirmed there's no load shedding happening.

Instead, the recent outages came from isolated technical faults that teams are actively working to prevent. The company launched its proactive approach last year, sending technicians to patrol major distribution lines and identify potential failure points before they cause problems.

Now the program is getting even better. ECG has expanded maintenance checks to cover every major power line in the region and is extending inspections to the low-voltage networks that connect directly to people's homes.

"We send our technicians and engineers to go on the line and see potential things that can cause the light to go off," Mensah-Asare explained. "Then we follow it up immediately to correct that defect."

The initiative involves two key steps: finding weak spots in the electrical infrastructure, then fixing them right away to remove hazards. This approach helps the company catch issues during routine patrols rather than waiting for emergency repairs after outages happen.

The Ripple Effect

Reliable electricity does more than keep lights on. The recent power interruptions affected the Ghana Water Company's ability to pump water from the Owabi and Barekese dams, showing how stable power keeps essential services running for entire communities.

ECG is now working on a project to ensure the Barekese Dam gets consistent, reliable power for water pumping. While the timeline remains uncertain, Mensah-Asare promised it won't take too long to complete.

The company encourages residents to follow their social media updates and local radio announcements for real-time information about any localized repairs. By catching problems early and keeping people informed, ECG aims to make extended blackouts a thing of the past.

Ghana's investment in preventive maintenance shows how staying ahead of infrastructure problems creates stability that entire regions can depend on.