The lights have been flickering across the Ashanti Region in recent weeks, leaving residents and businesses grappling with unexpected power disruptions. But the cause isn’t a failing generator or a surge in demand. According to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the culprit behind these Ashanti Power Outages is a surprisingly common sight: crows. Yes, those ubiquitous black birds are wreaking havoc on electrical infrastructure, leading to widespread frustration and prompting a multi-pronged response from the power company.

From bustling market centers to quiet residential streets, the impact of these outages is being felt. Some have reported damaged appliances, while others face disruptions to their daily routines and business operations. Areas such as Atwima Nwabiagya North, Ejisu, and Sekyere East have experienced some of the most frequent disruptions. But the ECG says it’s working on solutions.

The unusual cause has raised eyebrows, but the ECG is taking the matter seriously, working to implement a series of preventative measures to restore a stable power supply to the region.

Collins Manu, Head of Public Relations for the Ashanti Sub-Transmission Region, explained the extent of the problem. “As a division responsible for restoring the system to its original state, we will continue to improve our efforts to ensure uninterrupted service,” he stated, acknowledging the challenges posed by the avian interlopers. The challenges are indeed real.

The ECG has pinpointed the specific ways in which crows are damaging their infrastructure. The birds are not just perching on power lines; they are actively attacking installations, building nests with metallic materials that cause electrical faults, and leaving droppings that, especially in humid conditions, lead to insulation breakdown. These activities are not only causing outages but also significantly increasing maintenance costs and operational risks for the company. Imagine the frustration of technicians constantly repairing damage caused by birds building nests of scrap metal!

The effects of these crow-related power disruptions haven’t been uniform across the Ashanti Region. Some areas have been hit harder than others, depending on the concentration of crow activity and the vulnerability of the local infrastructure.

According to the ECG’s reports, the most affected feeders include:

• Barekese (Atwima Nwabiagya North)
• Akyawkrom (Ejisu)
• Effiduase and Kumawu (Sekyere East and Sekyere Kumawu)
• Bekwai, New Edubiase, and Manso Nkwanta (Amansie East, Adansi South, and Amansie West)

Perhaps most alarming is the sheer number of nests discovered on key power lines. On the Akyawkrom-Kuntenase-Bekwai lines alone, at least 92 nests have been found, each posing a significant hazard to the electrical grid. The weight of these nests, combined with the conductive materials often used in their construction, creates a recipe for short circuits and power failures.

Faced with this unusual challenge, the ECG has launched a comprehensive response plan, deploying a range of measures designed to deter crows and protect its infrastructure. Senior ECG officials, including Ing. Frederick Kwabena Bediako and Ing. Daniel Mensah Asare, have personally inspected the affected areas and are overseeing the implementation of these strategies.

The preventive measures fall into four main categories:

• Physical barriers: This includes installing bird spikes and insulated covers on vulnerable equipment, as well as using perch deterrents to prevent crows from landing on critical components.
• Nesting deterrents: ECG teams are routinely removing nests and replacing conductive nesting materials with non-conductive alternatives.
• Improved system design: This involves increasing conductor spacing to reduce the risk of short circuits and enhancing insulation to protect against droppings.
• Behavioural deterrents: The ECG is exploring the use of distress calls, reflective surfaces, and even predator decoys to scare away crows from substations and power lines.

The goal of these combined strategies is to stabilize the power supply, protect vital infrastructure from further damage, and ultimately, minimize the disruptions experienced by residents and businesses across the Ashanti Region.

For residents, the expectation is that these measures will lead to a noticeable reduction in power outages in the coming weeks and months. The ECG is committed to improving its efforts to ensure uninterrupted service and will continue to monitor the situation closely, adapting its strategies as needed. The company also encourages residents to report any unusual activity around power lines that may indicate crow-related problems.

In conclusion, the Ashanti Power Outages, while caused by an unexpected culprit, are being addressed with proactive measures by the ECG. While the cause of the Ashanti Power Outages is unexpected, ECG is taking proactive steps to mitigate the issue and restore reliable power supply. By implementing a combination of physical deterrents, improved system design, and behavioral strategies, the company hopes to outsmart the crows and bring a lasting solution to this unusual challenge.