Snake sparks power outage in Ashanti Region, ECG warns of growing wildlife threat to grid

A short power interruption occurred on the Akyawkrom 2 feeder on June 11, 2025, sparking renewed discussions about an unexpected danger to Ghana’s electricity grid—wildlife.

This time, the offender was a snake. The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) reported that the snake had slithered into a substation at Kwaso in the Ejisu area, creating a connection between the feeder and the ground, which disrupted power supply in various parts of the Ashanti Region.

The ECG’s Ashanti Sub-Transmission Line Maintenance Team quickly restored the power, but officials indicate that this incident is part of a recurring issue.

“Wildlife, particularly snakes and birds, continue to present significant risks to grid reliability,” stated Collins Manu, the ECG’s Ashanti Sub-Transmission Head of PR, during a press briefing.

“Although today’s outage was short-lived, it underscores the necessity of our proactive investments in wildlife mitigation measures—such as snake guards, better sealing of cable entries, and regular clearing of habitats around substations.”

He emphasized that the ECG is taking action before faults arise.

“Our preventive strategies involve trimming back vegetation, strengthening fencing, and enhancing drainage systems to deter snakes and other wildlife from approaching substations.

Simultaneously, we are working to educate communities on the importance of reporting any unusual activities near our facilities,” Manu added.

The call for increased vigilance was supported by Ing. Peter K. Fletcher, General Manager of ECG Ashanti Sub-Transmission, who highlighted the public’s role.

“Our customers serve as our first line of defense,” Ing. Fletcher remarked. “When they report issues promptly, we can respond swiftly and avert potential outages.