A team of GRIDCo Engineers and Technicians have successfully completed the replacement of a transmission tower located at Ashaiman which is part of the 161kV Tema to Achimota double circuit transmission line.
The work, which was completed in record time on Sunday 23rd August 2026 at 11am became necessary after a tanker exploded while it was being welded under the transmission line, causing the debris to hit one of the towers, damaging it in the process.
The engineering and technical teams painstakingly prepared for this work, as it involved much more than simply removing the old steel tower and erecting a new one. Assessments were undertaken for the replacement; site preparation; checks on the conductors and insulators, as well as, removal of the existing tower, using a crane, and the mobilisation of resources needed to undertake the works safety, and in compliance with standard technical requirements. GRIDCo duly informed the public, who would be impacted by the works on the tower at Ashaiman.
The works were undertaken over two days i.e., on Sunday 16th August and on Sunday 23rd August 2026. This phased work was executed to mitigate the impact of power supply to customers and communities served by the 161kV Tema to Achimota transmission line. The line was energised on at 12:38hrs, following which all loads were restored.
The result of this work has given GRIDCo an impetus to carry out a public education campaign in relation to its Right-of-Way (RoW) to discourage encroachers who are illegally living and operating under the transmission lines.
This is backed by the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, who has issued a one-month ultimatum to encroachers to vacate the transmission line right of way. The Land Management Department (LMD) in collaboration with the Information Services Department (ISD) and the Corporate Communications Section commenced the RoW Campaign on Monday 24th August, 2026.
