The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has moved to calm public concerns about a perceived resurgence of “dumsor”, a term widely used in Ghana to describe persistent and scheduled power outages, by reinforcing its ongoing maintenance initiative in the Ashanti Region. ECG officials have stated clearly that the region is not experiencing systemic load shedding or controlled power outages attributed to energy shortages, despite intermittent disruptions that have drawn public attention.
In recent days, some households and businesses in the Ashanti Region, particularly in the Kumasi metropolis, have reported irregularities in electricity supply, including brief periods without power. These interruptions have also affected essential services such as water pumping operations by the Ghana Water Company Limited at both the Owabi and Barekese dams, disrupting water supply in some communities.
However, ECG officials have been careful to distinguish these events from “dumsor,” assuring the public that there is no official policy of load management, load shedding, or intentional outages in the Ashanti Region or anywhere else in Ghana. Speaking on behalf of the four regional managers of ECG in the Ashanti Region after a technical review meeting, Ing. Daniel Mensah Asare, General Manager for Ashanti East, explained that the observed outages are isolated technical faults, issues such as equipment failures or line disturbances, that sometimes take longer to fix depending on their nature.
According to ECG, there is an active programme in place known as “Operation Keep the Light On” that is designed to proactively prevent outages rather than respond to them after they occur. This initiative was launched by ECG last year and involves a systematic approach to identifying and correcting defects on the electricity distribution network. Teams of technicians regularly patrol the main distribution lines, including 11 kV and 33 kV networks, to spot potential points of failure before they result in outages. Once detected, these issues are immediately addressed to eliminate hazards and reinforce service reliability.
In an expansion of the programme, ECG now includes low voltage lines, the networks that directly connect to homes and businesses, in its patrol and maintenance schedule. The objective is to ensure that possible threats to continuous supply are caught early and rectified, minimizing the occurrence of power interruptions and improving service consistency for residents across the Ashanti Region.
Despite these efforts, the persistent power issues have had ripple effects on other utilities. In particular, ECG officials acknowledged that the company is working to improve the reliable supply of power to the Barekese Dam, a critical facility for water production. Discussions are ongoing around a project to secure dedicated and sufficient electricity for the Ghana Water Company’s pumping operations, which would help guarantee uninterrupted water supply as well as a stable power grid for adjacent communities. While a specific completion timeline has not yet been provided, ECG leadership indicated that the work is a priority and that progress is being made.
To keep the public informed about power restoration and maintenance activities, ECG has also encouraged consumers to stay tuned to official social media updates and local radio announcements. These channels regularly provide real time information about restoration timelines for localized faults and other network developments.
The company’s emphasis on public communication reflects a broader strategy to improve customer engagement and transparency, ensuring that residents understand the nature of power interruptions when they occur and the ongoing work to address them. With initiatives like Operation Keep the Light On and coordinated response efforts across all operational districts, ECG is aiming to strengthen power supply reliability in one of Ghana’s most economically significant regions.