A 15-hour power interruption has been scheduled for parts of the Greater Accra Region on Sunday, August 23, 2026, as the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) carries out emergency work to replace a damaged transmission tower at Ashaiman.
The planned outage will run from 3:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., according to information released by GRIDCo and reported by Citi Newsroom and AdomOnline. The exercise is expected to affect electricity supply in several communities across Greater Accra.
15-hour power cut follows damaged transmission tower
GRIDCo said the interruption is necessary to allow its technical teams to safely complete the replacement of a damaged tower on the 161kV Tema-Achimota transmission line at Ashaiman.
The damage to the transmission infrastructure followed a fuel tanker explosion while welding work was reportedly being carried out on the tank within the transmission line’s right-of-way. The incident affected a key component of the high-voltage transmission network.
GRIDCo’s latest announcement means residents and businesses in the affected areas have been given advance notice to prepare for the prolonged interruption.
ECG coordinates with GRIDCo
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has also issued information on the planned interruption.
ECG’s Accra West Region said the outage is required to enable GRIDCo to undertake the emergency replacement works and that electricity supply will be affected in areas connected to the relevant transmission infrastructure.
The two companies are expected to coordinate the exercise to minimise the impact on customers while the technical work is completed.
Which areas will be affected?
The planned 15-hour power cut is expected to affect a number of communities in Greater Accra.
Graphic Online has published a list of the areas expected to experience the interruption, while GRIDCo’s announcement indicates that the work is concentrated around the Ashaiman section of the Tema-Achimota transmission corridor.
Residents and businesses in potentially affected locations are therefore being urged to make preparations ahead of the scheduled start time.
For households, this could include charging phones and power banks, storing water where electrically powered pumps are used, and making arrangements for essential appliances.
Businesses that depend heavily on electricity may also need to plan around the interruption, particularly those operating refrigeration, food-processing, manufacturing or other electrically powered equipment.
Why the work cannot simply be postponed
The scheduled interruption is linked to emergency infrastructure repairs rather than routine load management.
Replacing the damaged transmission tower requires technical teams to work safely on the affected high-voltage infrastructure. Temporarily interrupting supply allows the necessary work to be undertaken while reducing risks to workers and the wider electricity network.
GRIDCo has therefore presented the outage as a necessary intervention to complete the repairs.
Power reliability remains under scrutiny
The announcement comes shortly after Ghana experienced another widespread power disruption, increasing public concern about the reliability of the national electricity transmission system.
The latest developments have prompted calls from energy-sector groups for greater attention to the resilience of Ghana’s transmission infrastructure.
The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), for example, has warned that frequent power trips expose weaknesses in the country’s transmission system.
That broader concern makes the Ashaiman repair particularly important, because the affected transmission line forms part of infrastructure used to move electricity through the Greater Accra system.
What residents should do before Sunday
With the interruption scheduled to last 15 hours, affected households and businesses have a relatively long window in which to prepare.
Residents should consider charging phones and backup power devices before the outage begins. Businesses that need continuous electricity may also need alternative power arrangements for the duration of the exercise.
Customers should also avoid relying on unverified social media lists of affected communities and instead check information released by GRIDCo and ECG, as operational details can change.
15-Hour Power Cut: GRIDCo Names Areas Affected – Key details at a glance
- Date: Sunday, August 23, 2026.
- Duration: 15 hours.
- Time: 3:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Location: Parts of the Greater Accra Region.
- Reason: Replacement of a damaged transmission tower at Ashaiman.
- Transmission line: 161kV Tema-Achimota line.
- Damage: Linked to a fuel tanker incident during welding work.
- Responsible utility: GRIDCo, working with ECG.
FAQ on 15-Hour Power Cut: GRIDCo Names Areas Affected
What time will the 15-hour power cut start?
The scheduled interruption is expected to begin at 3:00 a.m. on Sunday, August 23, and continue until approximately 6:00 p.m.
Why is GRIDCo cutting power for 15 hours?
GRIDCo says the interruption is required to safely replace a damaged transmission tower on the 161kV Tema-Achimota transmission line at Ashaiman.
Which areas in Accra will lose power?
Several communities in Greater Accra are expected to be affected. The detailed list has been published by Graphic Online and should be checked against the latest GRIDCo/ECG information before publication because operational arrangements can change.
The planned 15-hour power interruption will put parts of Greater Accra without electricity for much of Sunday as GRIDCo works to repair critical transmission infrastructure. While the outage is expected to inconvenience residents and businesses, the company says the work is necessary to safely replace the damaged tower and restore the affected transmission network.
Background to this story: GhanaTrends
In other reports: Citi Newsroom report and Graphic Online affected-areas report
