Akosombo Units Back Online as Energy Minister Announces Gradual Power Restoration
Government says generation capacity improving as investigations continue into nationwide power disruption
Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr. John Jinapor, has announced that two power generation units at the Akosombo Dam have been successfully restored, contributing an additional 280MW to Ghana’s national grid.
He further indicated that a third unit is expected to be brought back online soon, adding another 140MW to the system. According to him, efforts are underway to ensure that all six affected units are fully operational by the end of the week.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Monday, April 27, Dr. Jinapor expressed confidence in the ongoing recovery process and reaffirmed his commitment to resolving the challenges facing the energy sector.
“I am determined to work with the team to overcome these challenges,” he said. “Despite the loss of Akosombo, all the other plants are running, but it leaves a major deficit. I wish to assure you that I deeply empathize with you. We never saw it coming, we never anticipated, but we will rise above this.”
He added that the first restored unit had already been successfully installed and is in operation, while a second unit has also been brought back and is currently generating power. Installation of the third unit is ongoing.
Meanwhile, earlier developments saw the Minister direct the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo), Mark Awuah Baah, to step aside pending investigations into the incident. The directive was announced by Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, via his X account on Sunday, April 26.
The fire incident at the Akosombo facility, which occurred on April 23, 2026, reportedly knocked between 720MW and nearly 1,000MW off the national grid. This led to a suspension of electricity exports and triggered a nationwide audit of Ghana’s energy infrastructure.
In addition to GRIDCo, leadership changes have also been confirmed within the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in the Ashanti Region, following widespread power outages affecting homes, businesses, and industrial areas after the Akosombo incident.
