Kumasi Power Outages: 4 Months to Fix Lights over GRIDCo upgrades – PURC

Residents in parts of Kumasi must brace themselves for intermittent power outages over the next four months as GRIDCo carries out major transmission upgrades. Executive Secretary of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission, Dr Shafic Sulemana, announced that these temporary disruptions will significantly improve long term power reliability across the Ashanti Region.

While dumsor brings natural frustration to homes and businesses, these essential engineering works aim to resolve persistent low voltage challenges for good.

The ongoing engineering works include installing two new 161 kilovolt transformer lines at the Anwomaso substation. Crews are also completing the crucial 330 kilovolt Accra Kumasi line and the Kumasi Anwomaso Kintampo transmission network to boost regional power capacity.

Upgrading these high voltage lines allows GRIDCo to evacuate electricity smoothly from power plants directly into local communities. Investing in modern transmission infrastructure prevents unexpected grid collapses and keeps lights steady in key commercial hubs.

Dr Shafic Sulemana explained that revenues raised from the recent nine percent tariff adjustment fund these massive infrastructure upgrades. The utility regulator ensures that every cedi collected from consumers goes straight into purchasing heavy transformers and expanding the national grid.

Utility companies must convert tariff increases into visible improvements that benefit daily electricity consumers. Paying for system upgrades now guarantees safer, cleaner, and more efficient power delivery for future generations.

The regulator clarified that Kumasi will experience planned, intermittent outages rather than a total blackout across the city. The PURC has directed GRIDCo and the Electricity Company of Ghana to publish clear load shedding timetables well in advance.

Consumers who experience lights out outside the official published schedules have the legal right to file complaints with PURC. Holding utility providers accountable ensures that maintenance teams respect consumer time while working hard to finish grid upgrades on schedule.

Also Read: PURC Monitors ECG and GRIDCo as Floods Force Major Power Plant Shutdowns