Ghana Faces Dumsor as Karpowership Threatens Shutdown Over $379M Debt
Government scrambles for solutions as surging energy sector liabilities and IMF warnings raise fears of nationwide power outages
- Karpowership threatens to halt power supply over an unpaid $379 million owed by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG)
- Ghana’s energy sector liabilities exceed $3 billion, with IMF urging urgent reforms to avoid collapse
- Potential shutdown risks prolonged power outages, disrupting households, businesses, and industries
Ghana’s energy sector teeters on the edge of a major crisis as Karpowership, the operator of the Aboadze power barge, has threatened to halt electricity supply unless the government clears an outstanding debt of $379 million.
The warning was issued during a February 10, 2025, meeting between Energy and Green Transition Minister John Abdulai Jinapor and Karpowership officials.
The debt, owed by the state-run Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), compounds the nation’s surging energy sector liabilities, now exceeding $3 billion.
Minister Jinapor has appealed to Karpowership to delay drastic action while the government explores payment solutions. However, Ghana’s economic constraints, flagged by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a critical risk, leave limited room for maneuvering.
The IMF has consistently called for urgent reforms to address the energy sector’s financial instability. Without intervention, Karpowership’s shutdown could trigger widespread power outages, wreaking havoc on industries, businesses, and households across the country.
