Ghana’s electricity transmission system is outdated and increasingly inefficient, exposing the country to voltage losses and reliability risks, according to Ing Peter Antwi Boasiako, former deputy director of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Service.

Speaking on theAsaase Breakfast Show on Friday (12 June), Antwi said the country’s reliance on a 161 kilovolt (kV) transmission system for long-distance power delivery is no longer adequate for its growing energy demands.

“That voltage level is meant for medium distances, not long-distance transmission,” he said.

Antwi explained that transmitting power over long distances at 161 kV leads to significant voltage drops, particularly affecting regions farther from generation sources.

“By the time power reaches areas like the Ashanti Region, the voltage has dropped considerably. That is why load shedding is often required there,” he said.

He noted that during peak demand, supply shortfalls force operators to cut off parts of the grid to prevent system failure.

He called for Ghana to transition to higher-voltage transmission systems, citing regional and global benchmarks.

“Countries like Kenya and South Africa operate above 400 kV, while Egypt exceeds 500 kV. Ghana must move beyond 161 kV if we want to remain competitive,” he said.

Antwi pointed to the existing 330 kV West African Power Pool infrastructure as a foundation for upgrading the system.

“We already have the backbone. We need to synchronise and expand it to reduce losses and improve efficiency,” he added.

The former TVET official also raised concerns about Ghana’s heavy reliance on independent power producers (IPPs), which he said account for more than 70% of electricity supply.

“That is a national security risk. IPPs can exert pressure on government through supply disruptions,” he warned.

He proposed that the state should control at least 70% of generation capacity to strengthen bargaining power and ensure stability.

Antwi outlined two key reforms:

Such a system, he said, would allow operators to isolate faults without triggering nationwide outages.

He referenced previous nationwide blackouts, including a major incident triggered by faults in the Takoradi enclave, to illustrate the risks of the current system.

“When one major generation source fails, others interpret it as a fault and shut down. That is why we need a more resilient architecture,” he said.

Antwi concluded that Ghana must prioritise system redesign and modernisation, rather than relying on incremental fixes.

“What we are seeing does not happen in advanced systems. We must adopt better practices,” he said.