Eastern Region: ECG appeals for public support in fighting transformer theft

The Eastern regional general manager of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Ing. Sariel Adobea Etwire, has appealed to the public to help protect their installations by reporting suspicious activities.

She noted that so far, thieves have managed to steal essential parts of six transformers mounted to serve customers in the region.

Etwire revealed that the company last year spent an amount of GHC8.4 million on transformer projects to help improve power supply in the region.

Etwire mentioned that in spite of efforts being made to invest huge capital into system improvement of the company, some thieves have managed to vandalise a 50 kilovolts-amps transformer situated around Oyoko Roundabout, two of their one hundred kilovolts-amps transformers located in Asesewa District, a 100 kilovolts-amps transformer at Suhum, a 200 kilovolts-amps transformer at Asafo in Tafo District serving a hospital, and a 200 kilovolts-amps transformer at Lartey Gas area in Koforidua.

She noted that in all cases, the thieves managed to bring down the live transformers, open their covers and take away the copper wires, plunging the affected areas into hours of power outages and darkness.

“We want to assure the public to notify our office of any one found loitering around our transformers,” she noted

She urged the public to be vigilant and help minimise the incidence of transformer thefts.