ECG’s Deliberate Upkeep: A Complete Guide to Affected Areas (Feb 22-28, 2026)

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has announced a week of planned maintenance and upgrade exercises across various regions. These deliberate shutdowns, scheduled from Sunday, February 22, to Thursday, February 26, 2026, are essential for grid reliability, infrastructure upgrades, and improved service delivery. This guide provides a detailed, region-by-region breakdown of the affected areas, practical advice for residents and businesses, and answers to frequently asked questions to help you navigate these temporary power interruptions.

Introduction: Understanding ECG’s Planned Power Outages

Planned maintenance by utility providers like ECG is a standard and necessary practice. These scheduled power outages, often termed “deliberate upkeep” or “planned shutdowns,” allow technical teams to perform critical work on substations, power lines, and distribution networks without the risks associated with live-line work. The goal is to reduce long-term unplanned outages, enhance system stability, and integrate new infrastructure. For the week of February 22-28, 2026, ECG has organized a series of these exercises affecting numerous communities in the Greater Accra, Central, and Ashanti regions. Understanding your area’s specific schedule is the first step in adequate preparation.

Key Points: Weekly Maintenance Summary

Duration: The primary maintenance window runs from Sunday, February 22, to Thursday, February 26, 2026. Most daily outages occur from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with one exception in the Ashanti Region (11:00 AM – 2:00 PM).
Regions Impacted: Greater Accra (Accra West & East), Central, and Ashanti regions.
Nature of Work: Described by ECG as exercises to “improve service delivery,” implying network upgrades, preventive maintenance, or new connections.
Official Notice: ECG has apologized for the inconvenience, a standard disclaimer for such planned events.
Action Required: Residents and businesses in listed areas should treat these windows as confirmed no-power periods and plan accordingly.

Regional Breakdown of Affected Areas

1. Greater Accra Region: Accra East & West Sectors

The Greater Accra Region, Ghana’s capital hub, sees the most extensive schedule, split between Accra East and Accra West maintenance zones.

Accra East Region Schedule

Sunday, Feb 22: Emergency upkeep. Areas: Latter Day Saint HQS, Ghana Immigration Service, Alisa Hotel, Swiss Embassy, WAEC, and surroundings.
Monday, Feb 23: Abedi Pele Park, Dunyo, and surrounding areas.
Tuesday, Feb 24: Red Top, Old Barrier, New Aplaku, Eden Height, Kings University, Alogboshie, Achimota Neoplan, Benjilo, and surroundings.
Wednesday, Feb 25: Akweteyman, New Bortianor, Red Best, and surrounding areas.
Thursday, Feb 26: Katapor, Edusa, Tetegu, White House, Doblo, Hebron, Medie, Sarpeiman, Satellite, John Teye, Fountain Gate chapel, Franko Estate, Ecobloc and surrounding areas.

Accra West Region Schedule

Sunday, Feb 22: Emergency upkeep. Areas: Latter Day Saint HQS, Ghana Immigration Service, Alisa Hotel, Swiss Embassy, WAEC, and surroundings. (Note: This appears listed under both regions; likely a central high-impact zone).
Monday, Feb 23: No specific Accra West outage listed in the source for Monday.
Tuesday, Feb 24: Santana Market, Ayikuma, Doryumu, Kodeabe, and surrounding spaces.
Wednesday, Feb 25: La Cemetery, Parts of Burma Camp, Twumasiwaa Hospital, Dzen Ayor, Ability, and surrounding spaces.
Thursday, Feb 26: Lakeside Estate Com. 6 & 8, New Legon, Block factory (East Legon), Sasaabi Township, Mensah Bar, and surrounding spaces.

2. Central Region Schedule

The Central Region has two distinct maintenance days, with the second day covering a broader area that includes the first day’s zones.

Monday, February 23 (9:00 AM – 4:00 PM): Saltpond Zongo, Kurankyekrom, Kormantse, Abandze, Parts of Anomabo, Ekurabadze, Asafora, and surrounding spaces.
Thursday, February 26 (9:00 AM – 4:00 PM): A more extensive list: Abonko, Anokyi, Henii, Nananom junction, Roman hospital, Bafikrom, Greenwood, New Nkusukum, Krampakrom, Inshalahu, plus all areas from Monday’s list (Saltpond Zongo, Kurankyekrom, Kormantse, Abandze, Parts of Anomabo, Ekurabadze, Asafora).

3. Ashanti Region Schedule

The Ashanti Region’s schedule includes an early Sunday emergency exercise and a Tuesday planned maintenance.

Sunday, February 22 (11:00 AM – 2:00 PM): Emergency upkeep. Areas: Barekese Headworks, Ahenkro, Kodie, Aduamoa, Aduman, Seidi, Nkawie, Afari, Toase, Gyankobaah, Kasaprako, Sepaase, Hiawu Besease, Edwanfo, Abuakwa Maakro, Tetrem, and surrounding spaces.
Tuesday, February 24 (9:00 AM – 4:00 PM): Agona Municipal Assembly, Agona Police Station, Agona Zongo, Bipoa Town, Bodomase, Afamaso, and surrounding spaces.

Background: Why Does ECG Conduct Planned Maintenance?

Planned maintenance is a cornerstone of utility asset management. For a power distributor like ECG, it serves several critical functions:

Preventive Infrastructure Renewal: Replacing aging transformers, upgrading conductors, and servicing switchgear before they fail catastrophically.
Network Expansion & Connection: Integrating new customers, substations, or commercial developments into the grid requires temporary isolation of circuits.
System Reliability: By performing work in controlled blocks, ECG prevents cascading failures that could cause wider, longer, and unplanned blackouts.
Safety Compliance: Maintenance often involves high-risk tasks. Scheduled outages ensure the safety of technicians and the public.
Regulatory & Efficiency Mandates: Utilities are often mandated by regulators to meet certain reliability indices (e.g., SAIDI, SAIFI). Proactive maintenance is key to meeting these targets.

While inconvenient, these exercises are a long-term investment in grid stability. The alternative—increasing unplanned outages due to equipment failure—poses greater economic and safety risks.

Analysis: Impact and Communication Strategy

The notice follows a standard utility communication model but has some observable characteristics:

Geographic Granularity: ECG uses neighborhood-level names (“Santana Market,” “Lakeside Estate”) rather than just broad suburbs. This is highly user-centric, helping residents quickly identify if they are affected.
Temporal Clustering: Work is grouped by region and day, likely to optimize crew deployment and minimize travel time between sites.
“Emergency” vs. “Deliberate”: The classification of the Sunday outages as “emergency upkeep” suggests these may be addressing urgent, unforeseen issues that cannot wait for the standard weekday schedule, or they could be high-priority projects needing weekend execution to minimize commercial disruption.
Communication Channels: The source (Life Pulse Daily) acts as an aggregator. For maximum reach, ECG typically also uses its official website, social media, and sometimes radio announcements. Reliance on third-party news sites can leave gaps in coverage for less digitally-connected populations.
Information Gaps: The notice lacks specific reasons for each area’s outage (e.g., “transformer replacement at X substation”). More granular detail could foster better public understanding and cooperation.

Practical Advice for Residents and Businesses

If your area is listed, proactive preparation is essential to minimize disruption and potential losses.

Immediate Pre-Outage Checklist (24 Hours Before)

Confirm Your Area: Double-check the list. Neighborhood names can be ambiguous. Ask neighbors or local community groups (e.g., WhatsApp, Facebook) for confirmation.
Power Down Non-Essentials: Switch off and unplug sensitive electronics (computers, TVs, gaming consoles) to protect against power surges when electricity returns.
Charge All Devices: Fully charge mobile phones, laptops, tablets, and power banks. Consider charging them the night before.
Prepare Lighting: Have flashlights, lanterns, or battery-powered lamps ready. Avoid candles due to fire risk.
Secure Perishables: If you rely on electric refrigeration, consume or safely store perishable food. Consider using coolers with ice packs. Keep refrigerator/freezer doors closed.
Cash Withdrawal: ATMs and point-of-sale (POS) systems may be down. Withdraw sufficient cash for essential purchases.
Medication & Medical Devices: Ensure any medication requiring refrigeration is stored appropriately. If you use electrically-powered medical equipment (e.g., CPAP, oxygen concentrator), arrange for a backup power source or alternative location.
Water Pumping: If your water supply depends on an electric pump, store water in containers for drinking, cooking, and sanitation.
Business Continuity: Inform clients of potential disruption. If possible, reschedule appointments or meetings. Back up critical data to cloud storage.

During the Outage

Stay Informed: Keep a battery-powered or hand-crank radio tuned to local stations for any updates or changes from ECG.
Generator Safety: If using a generator:
- Operate it OUTDOORS, far from windows, doors, and vents to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Never connect a generator directly to your home’s wiring. This “back-feeding” can electrocute utility workers and neighbors.
- Use heavy-duty, outdoor-rated extension cords.
Food Safety: A full freezer will keep food frozen for about 48 hours (24 hours if half-full) if unopened. Use a thermometer to check internal temperature.
Security: Be mindful of security during prolonged darkness, especially in the evening. Ensure outdoor lights with motion sensors or solar-powered lights are functional.

Post-Restoration Precautions

Wait Before Reconnecting: When power returns, wait 5-10 minutes before turning on major appliances (AC, fridge, water heater) to avoid overwhelming the system and causing another outage.
Check for Damage: Visually inspect your external electrical meter and connection point for any apparent damage before restoring full power. If you see damage, report it to ECG immediately.
Surge Protectors: Ensure all critical electronics remain plugged into surge protectors for the first few hours after restoration, as power surges are common.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

How can I be 100% sure my exact location is affected?

The lists use common neighborhood names. The most reliable method is to cross-reference with your official property address or landmark. Contact your local ECG customer service office with your address for definitive confirmation. Community social media groups are also often very accurate for hyper-local confirmation.

What is the difference between “emergency upkeep” and “deliberate upkeep”?

“Deliberate upkeep” is a pre-scheduled, planned maintenance activity. “Emergency upkeep,” as used in the notice for Sunday, likely refers to urgent, unplanned work that cannot wait (e.g., a sudden fault on a critical asset that requires immediate attention to prevent a larger crisis). It is still a planned shutdown but triggered by an urgent need rather than a calendar schedule.

Will I be compensated for lost business or spoiled food?

Generally, no. Utility companies’ tariffs and terms of service typically exempt them from liability for losses incurred due to planned maintenance outages, provided they have given reasonable notice. This is a standard clause in most utility contracts. It underscores the importance of your own preparedness and business continuity planning. For prolonged, unplanned outages due to negligence, different rules may apply, but planned maintenance is usually exempt.

What should I do if my power doesn’t return after 5:00 PM?

First, check if your neighbors have power. If the outage is widespread, it may be a delayed restoration. Listen to local radio or check ECG’s official social media pages (Facebook, Twitter) for status updates. If you are the only one without power, check your main circuit breaker. If it is tripped and won’t reset, or if you see damage, call ECG’s fault reporting line immediately. Do not attempt to fix external connections yourself.

How does ECG decide the order and timing of these maintenance zones?

While the exact algorithm is internal, factors include: criticality of the infrastructure (hospitals, government offices often get priority or special arrangements), geographic clustering to maximize crew efficiency, load profiles (avoiding peak commercial hours in major business districts where possible), and the scope of work required. Weekends and early hours are often used for high-impact areas to minimize commercial disruption.

Are hospitals and critical facilities exempt?

Not necessarily. The list includes “Twumasiwaa Hospital” and “Roman hospital,” indicating even some healthcare facilities will be on the schedule. This suggests the work may be on the feeder line serving them, requiring a full circuit outage. Major hospitals often have backup generators for such events. If you rely on a home-based medical device, you must have your own independent backup plan.