ECG Targets June 5 to Complete Major Power Network Upgrade in Greater Kumasi

The Electricity Company of Ghana has set June 5, 2026 as the completion date for a major upgrade of sub-transmission lines in the Greater Kumasi area, a project the utility says will significantly improve power supply reliability across parts of the Ashanti Region.

The works, which have been underway for several weeks, involve upgrading transmission lines from the KNUST Primary Substation to the Kaase Primary Substation, and from Kaase to the Ridge Bulk Supply Point. According to a statement signed by Dr Charles Nii Ayiku Ayiku, ECG’s General Manager for External Communications, the project includes replacing existing 265 sqmm conductors with heavier 400 sqmm conductors and swapping out weakened cables to improve power transfer capacity.

The technical upgrades are expected to yield tangible benefits for residents and businesses in Kaase, Kuntenase, Sewua, Bekwai and surrounding communities, areas that have historically struggled with voltage fluctuations and intermittent supply. ECG said the project will also reinforce the sub-transmission connection between the Kumasi 1 and Kumasi 2 Bulk Supply Points, strengthening the overall resilience of the Ashanti Region’s electricity network.

The upgrade is part of ECG’s broader effort to modernise Ghana’s ageing power distribution infrastructure, which has long been a bottleneck in the country’s energy value chain. While Ghana has invested heavily in generation capacity in recent years, the distribution network has often lagged behind, resulting in technical losses, poor voltage quality and supply interruptions that frustrate consumers and undermine industrial productivity.

The Greater Kumasi project is particularly significant given the Ashanti Region’s economic weight. As Ghana’s second-largest urban economy, Kumasi’s commercial and manufacturing sectors depend on stable electricity. Unreliable power supply has been cited by businesses as one of the top obstacles to growth, and infrastructure upgrades like this one are essential if the region is to fulfil its economic potential.

ECG acknowledged that the construction work has caused temporary disruptions to customers and apologised for the inconvenience, describing the short-term pain as necessary for long-term gain. “The temporary inconveniences were necessary to help secure a more reliable power supply for the region,” the company stated.

The project comes at a time when Ghana is also looking to diversify its energy mix. The government has been scaling up solar power and mini-grid projects across the country, but the distribution backbone remains critical infrastructure that determines whether generated power actually reaches end users.

For residents of the affected communities, the June 5 deadline will be closely watched. If ECG delivers on schedule, the upgrade should mark a meaningful improvement in the daily experience of electricity supply in Greater Kumasi — fewer outages, better voltage quality, and a more robust network capable of handling growing demand.

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