Here is why the Akosombo Substation fire occurred

The seven-member committee set up to probe the recent fire outbreak at the Akosombo Substation has attributed the incident to cable insulation failure.

Presenting the findings to the Minister of Energy and Green Transition, Dr John Abdulai Jinapor, on Thursday, June 11, 2026, the Chairman of the Committee, William Amuna, said the blaze was caused by a technical and structural failure, ruling out any deliberate action.

He explained that the ageing condition of key components within the substation played a central role in the escalation of the incident, as the fault spread through interconnected systems before being brought under control.

"It actually started from insulation failure from some of the cables in the LV panel and not anybody going to turn something or twist something or whatever," he remarked.

The committee recommended the construction of a modern control room to replace the current one which was built in 1964.

GRIDCo, others work to restore 1,000MW after substation facility explosion

The fire outbreak occurred on Thursday, April 23, 2026, ravaging the switch system and the primary control room for the switchyard of the Akosombo Dam, resulting in the loss of 1,000 megawatts.

JKB/VPO

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