Demand shot up, transformers overloaded – Deputy Energy Minister

Deputy Energy Minister Richard Gyan Mensah has attributed Ghana’s recent wave of power disruptions to a sharp and sustained surge in electricity demand, revealing that overloaded transformers have become one of the most critical pressure points within the country’s power distribution system.

Speaking on PM Express with host Evans Mensah on Tuesday, the Deputy Minister explained that the spike in electricity consumption began early in the year and has since placed considerable strain on existing infrastructure.

“Within the beginning of the year, demand quickly shot up,” he stated, noting that such rapid increases in consumption often outpace the capacity of distribution systems if not matched with corresponding upgrades.

He further clarified that higher demand inevitably leads to increased pressure on all components of the power distribution chain, particularly transformers, which play a key role in transmitting electricity to homes and businesses.

“Demand shooting up means that the sources of distribution will experience a lot more pressure,” he explained. “One of those sources is the transport transformers, which are essential in delivering power across communities.”

According to him, the consequences of this surge have been felt directly in several parts of the country, where infrastructure has struggled to cope with the increased load.

“So in some areas, the transformers became overloaded,” he said, adding that investigations carried out during the outage period confirmed that transformer overloads were a major contributor to the disruptions experienced by consumers.

Despite the strain on the system, Mr. Mensah pointed out that power operators have responded swiftly to reported faults, working to restore electricity within affected communities.

“In most of the cases that came to our attention, there has been a very prompt response time to complaints or challenges that arose in those areas,” he said, emphasizing the efforts of technical teams in addressing outages.

In a notable personal disclosure during the interview, the Deputy Minister revealed that he has chosen to live without a backup generator since assuming office, in order to directly experience the realities faced by ordinary Ghanaians during power outages.

“Immediately I was given my position as the Deputy Energy Minister, I took off the generator… I took it off,” he said. “Because when the light goes off, I want to experience it myself.”

He explained that this decision has allowed him to monitor outages more closely and stay directly connected to the challenges on the ground. According to him, he receives real-time updates whenever power goes off in his area.

“If my light goes off, I quickly receive calls informing me that our area has been affected,” he noted. “Sometimes I also send text messages after receiving reports that lights have gone off within certain areas.”

He added that his monitoring goes beyond his residence, as he remains alert even while traveling.

“Even when I drive through town and notice outages, I quickly send messages to follow up,” he said, explaining that he often receives feedback shortly after.

“They get back to me with updates on what actions have been taken, and once power is restored, they report back to confirm that electricity is back.”

When pressed by Evans Mensah on whether he truly lives without any alternative power source, Mr. Mensah responded firmly, “Exactly,” confirming that he endures outages without backup, just like many households across Ghana.

However, he acknowledged that the decision has come with personal challenges, particularly within his family.

“For one year, while I may be comfortable with it, my wife is not,” he admitted. “These are some of the challenges I have gone through.”

He emphasized that his decision is driven by a desire to better understand public frustration and improve service delivery within the energy sector.

“People really measure us by how they are able to get constant and reliable power,” he said. “I wanted to be in that ordinary situation to truly understand how it feels when someone’s light goes off.”

The Deputy Minister maintained that his current arrangement is temporary and tied to his broader commitment to improving Ghana’s electricity supply.

“I am focused on improving the system, and when I know Ghanaians are okay and power is stable, I will bring the generator back,” he assured.

On the issue of alternative energy solutions such as solar power, he expressed caution, noting that adopting such measures personally could disconnect him from the lived realities of many citizens.

“If I install solar, then what about the ordinary Ghanaian who does not have the means to afford it?” he questioned.

Recounting a recent experience, he described a prolonged outage at his home that lasted several hours.

“Last Saturday, for instance, I was at home between 6 a.m. and about 12 p.m., and there was no electricity,” he said. “Even though I was calling Akosombo Dam every now and then to check on what was happening, we still had to endure the outage.”

Despite the inconvenience, Mr. Mensah stressed that the experience continues to shape his perspective and strengthen his resolve to address the country’s energy challenges with urgency and empathy.