Large‑scale grid failure early Wednesday knocked out power for the capital Accra, the commercial hub Kumasi and much of northern Ghana.

A state‑run power distribution company said several power plants were forced to shut down after a fault in the national network.

GRIDCo’s engineers say they are working “continuously to restore power in the shortest time possible without compromising safety.”

The outage disrupts homes, businesses, commuting and digital services. Phones run out of charge, taxi apps fail, and many small enterprises lose revenue. Hospitals are protected by backup generators, though most other services remain offline.

GRIDCo is conducting a technical investigation into what caused the collapse but hasn’t yet promised a timeline for normal supply.

Ghana, a major producer of gold and cocoa, has long battled irregular power supply—known locally as “dumsor”—but the situation has been improving with the addition of gas‑generating capacity to supplement ageing hydropower plants.

Despite this expansion, the grid remains susceptible to transmission failures and fuel supply interruptions, which can quickly trigger widespread outages like the one that struck this week.