A month-long maintenance shutdown of the West African Gas Pipeline (WAPCo) has plunged Ghana into a worsening energy crisis, with businesses and households enduring erratic power cuts as the national grid struggles to fill a 1,400-megawatt supply gap.
The outage, linked to suspended gas flows from Nigeria since February 5, has idled critical thermal plants and exposed vulnerabilities in Ghana’s energy infrastructure, reviving fears of a return to the “dumsor” era of chronic blackouts.
The shutdown, slated to last until March 2, has forced gas-dependent plants—including Karpowership, Amandi, and units of the Volta River Authority (VRA)—to halt operations. WAPCo’s pipeline, which supplies natural gas from Nigeria and facilitates reverse flows from Takoradi to Tema, is undergoing delayed but essential repairs, cutting off fuel to power generators that contribute nearly a third of Ghana’s electricity.
GRIDCo and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) had earlier assured citizens that contingency plans, including switching some plants to liquid fuel, would avert widespread outages. But the reality has been stark: only a fraction of thermal plants can utilize alternatives like light crude oil, leaving a deficit that has triggered rolling blackouts, particularly during evening peak hours. Small businesses, manufacturers, and tech firms report mounting losses as unscheduled power cuts disrupt operations.
“We’re operating in the dark—literally,” said Adwoa Mensah, a Kumasi-based cold storage owner. “My generators can’t run 24/7, and the outages are spoiling goods. How long can we sustain this?”
In a joint statement, GRIDCo and ECG confirmed that the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition had secured emergency liquid fuel supplies for key plants in Tema. However, officials admit this is a temporary fix. “Not all plants are equipped to transition seamlessly,” said Energy Ministry spokesperson Nana Akua Abrefi. “We’re prioritizing hospitals and essential services, but the gap remains significant.”
The crisis has reignited scrutiny of Ghana’s overreliance on gas imports and thermal generation. While the country’s Akosombo and Bui hydroelectric dams provide some cushion, their output hinges on steady rainfall—a gamble as climate patterns grow erratic. “If the rains fail this year, we’ll face an even deeper crisis,” warned energy analyst Kwabena Otuo. “Hydro reserves are already stretched thin, and solar investments haven’t scaled fast enough to bridge the gap.”
Critics argue that the government underestimated the shutdown’s impact despite repeated warnings. Delays in diversifying energy sources and upgrading aging infrastructure have left Ghana exposed, with the WAPCo disruption highlighting systemic risks. “This isn’t just about maintenance—it’s about poor planning,” said opposition legislator Samuel Okudzeto. “Ghanaians deserve reliable power, not excuses.”
As the shutdown stretches into its third week, frustration is boiling over. Social media buzzes with outage reports, while the National Chamber of Commerce warns of job losses if the grid remains unstable. For President Mahama’s administration, already under pressure over economic headwinds, the crisis is a litmus test of its ability to steer Ghana toward energy resilience.
With WAPCo’s repairs ongoing and no quick fixes in sight, Ghanaians brace for a grueling month. As one taxi driver in Accra put it: “We survived ‘dumsor’ before, but Must we keep reliving it? The lights keep going out, and so does our patience.”
