The Executive Secretary of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), Dr. Shafic Suleman, paid a visit to the Ashanti Sub-Transmission of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) on 7th April 2025. The visit formed part of a strategic engagement aimed at strengthening regulatory oversight, enhancing stakeholder collaboration, learning firsthand about the challenges, and determining how to address them within the region.
Dr. Shafic commended the team for their critical role in national power sub-transmission, noting that the Ashanti Region ranks second only to Accra in terms of strategic importance. He acknowledged that the Commission’s engineers had earlier visited the region and identified existing challenges in power distribution. This follow-up is part of many measures the PURC’s put in place to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to find practical and sustainable solutions. He introduced a newly established virtual platform by the Commission designed to respond urgently to operational challenges with key Stakeholders within the region.
Dr. Shafic also stressed the Commission’s shift towards a more solution-oriented and customer-focused regulatory approach, highlighting the interconnectedness between water provision and electricity service delivery. He called for enhanced synergy among stakeholders to improve service quality across the sector.
Dr. Shafic and his team embarked on a tour of key power facilities within the Anwomaso Power Enclave, gaining firsthand insight into the operational landscape. The sites visited included:
- ECG Sub-Transmission 24-Hour SCADA Control Room, where the ES commended the team for their efficiency.
- CENIT Generation Plant, currently undergoing a two-phase development of a 330MW Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) plant, with Phase 1 (110MW) expected to be commissioned by year-end.
- Genser Energy gas facility, Anwomaso Branch and Metering Station
- AKSA Energy Plant (230MW), construction currently ongoing
- Kumasi 1 Thermal Power Plant (K1TPP) – 150MW
Ing. Peter Kofi Fletcher, General Manager of the Sub-Transmission, delivered a comprehensive presentation highlighting ECG’s operational structure and ongoing initiatives. He outlined the four ECG operational regions—East, West, South, and Sub-Transmission—and listed the five Bulk Supply Points (BSPs) under the Sub-Transmission Region:
- Konongo
- Anwomaso
- Kumasi Regional BSP
- Obuasi
- Dunkwa
Ing. Fletcher highlighted some operational challenges that need urgent attention, including;
- Persistent voltage fluctuations
- Political interference in operational decisions
- Land litigation and encroachment
- Right-of-way constraints hindering expansion and maintenance
Ing. Fletcher also provided updates on ongoing infrastructure upgrades, including:
- The commissioning of a 145 MVA transformer at Anwomaso
- The upgrade of an existing 264 MVA transformer
Dr. Shafic renewed the commitment by PURC to support ECG in addressing critical operational challenges and reaffirmed the Commission’s dedication to transparent, proactive, and collaborative engagement with stakeholders. “The importance of strategic investment, improved regulatory communication, customer-focused service delivery, and the long-term stability and efficiency of the Sub-transmission and distribution network in the region is of great interest to the Commission.”
