Ghana’s power generation capacity received a boost on Tuesday night after engineers successfully returned a fourth generating unit at the Akosombo Dam to service, in what government officials describe as a significant step toward stabilising electricity supply.
Energy Minister John Abdulai Jinapor announced the development in a brief update, noting that the restoration was completed at night after sustained technical work at the facility.
According to him, “at 9:09 pm, the fourth unit at Akosombo Dam was successfully brought into operation,” adding that it marks “an encouraging step that strengthens power generation.”
The latest recovery effort comes amid renewed pressure on the national grid, with several parts of Accra and other regions recently experiencing intermittent outages. Authorities have attributed the disruptions to a combination of technical challenges within the distribution network and rising demand.
The Akosombo Dam, which remains the cornerstone of Ghana’s hydroelectric power system, plays a central role in national electricity supply. Any increase in its operational capacity is therefore considered critical to improving stability across the grid.
Mr. Jinapor commended the technical teams involved in the restoration work, stressing the effort and commitment behind the achievement. He said the progress “reflects the dedication and expertise of the team behind the effort.”
Although the Ministry did not disclose the exact megawatt contribution from the restored unit, energy analysts note that even marginal gains from Akosombo can ease pressure on the system, particularly during peak consumption periods.
In recent weeks, the Energy Ministry and utility agencies have pointed to ageing infrastructure, overloaded transformers, and growing demand as key drivers of the intermittent supply challenges.
The return of the fourth unit is expected to provide some relief to households and businesses affected by recent fluctuations, while efforts continue to reinforce both generation and distribution capacity nationwide.
