The Ghana Grid Company Ltd. (GRIDCo) has announced plans to reduce power supply to parts of Accra over the weekend to allow for the replacement of a damaged transmission tower at Ashaiman Middle East, near Tema.
GRIDCo Chief Executive Ing. Frank Asirifi Otchere disclosed this during a visit to the area by the sector minister, Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor, on Thursday afternoon.
Briefing the minister, Otchere said that on July 10, some welders were working on a fuel tanker beneath the Tema-Achimota 161 kV double-circuit transmission lines when the tanker suddenly exploded.
A part of the tanker was propelled more than 300 metres and struck a nearby transmission tower.
Otchere said the impact had compromised the structural integrity of the tower, making it necessary to replace it.
“We are planning that over the weekend we take the whole tower down and replace it with a new one,” Otchere said.
He said the transmission line where the tower was damaged is critical because it serves Accra.
To avoid overloading adjacent lines, GRIDCo will need to reduce the load serving Accra while the replacement work is carried out.
Otchere, however, did not specify the areas in Accra that will experience power outages.
The GRIDCo chief executive also urged artisans, welders, mechanics and shop owners who are illegally occupying GRIDCo’s right of way beneath transmission lines to vacate the area to avoid exposing themselves and others to danger.
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