ASEC calls for AI-driven reforms amid persistent power outages

The Africa Sustainable Energy Centre (ASEC) has raised concerns over ongoing power outages across Ghana, urging a rapid shift toward predictive maintenance and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven grid management to improve system reliability.

In a statement issued in Accra, the Centre said the disruptions point to deeper operational and infrastructure weaknesses within key power sector institutions, including Ghana Grid Company, the Electricity Company of Ghana and the Ghana National Gas Company.

It cited recent failures in critical control systems as evidence of gaps in maintenance practices and system resilience.

ASEC stressed the need to move from reactive to predictive maintenance models, supported by digital tools and AI, to detect faults early and prevent cascading outages across the national grid.

“With the right deployment of AI-driven monitoring systems, faults can be identified before they escalate into nationwide disruptions,” said Justice Ohene-Akoto, Executive Director of ASEC.

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The Centre added that improving grid reliability would require complementary investments in transmission and distribution upgrades, gas supply security for thermal plants, system redundancy, and stronger coordination among sector players, alongside broader digital transformation.

ASEC warned that persistent outages continue to weigh on businesses, households and overall economic productivity, calling on government, regulators and development partners to prioritise long-term resilience over short-term fixes.

It said the current disruptions present an opportunity to modernise the power system through technology adoption and institutional strengthening, adding that it remains committed to supporting the country’s energy transition through research, policy advocacy and technical collaboration.