The Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCO) is set to deploy 500 distribution transformers across the Northern Region as part of efforts to improve power supply and address persistent outages.
At a media briefing, the Northern Regional Manager of NEDCO, Maxwell Kotoka, acknowledged the recent decline in service quality and offered an unqualified apology to customers.
He clarified that the challenges are not linked to power generation or transmission, stressing that neither the Volta River Authority (VRA) nor the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) is responsible for the outages.
According to him, the problem lies within the distribution network, noting that the outages are localized rather than system-wide failures.
Mr. Kotoka identified several key causes of the disruptions, including undersized conductors that can no longer support growing demand, overloaded transformers and substations, and consumer interference—particularly the switching of phases—which leads to load imbalances, low voltage, and occasional damage to equipment.
He emphasized the importance of addressing the root causes of the problem instead of applying temporary fixes.
The situation, he said, has been exacerbated by the current heat season, which has significantly increased electricity demand.
To tackle the challenges, NEDCO has begun both short-term and long-term interventions. These include an ongoing transformer replacement programme and broader system upgrade works in Tamale and surrounding communities to stabilize the network, improve voltage levels, and reduce outages.
Additionally, the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition is procuring 500 distribution transformers to be deployed in affected communities to ease capacity constraints.
Source:Fiilafmonline/Walkiyatu Issahaku
