Invest in power systems security architecture for reliable electricity supply - Energy expert urges gov't

Dr. Elikplim Kwabla Apetorgbor is calling on the government to urgently prioritise investment in resilient power systems security architecture. According to Dr. Apetorgbor, reliable electricity supply can no longer depend solely on power generation capacity.

Dr. Apetorgbor argued that Ghana's electricity reliability challenges extend beyond the traditional debate about "more megawatts" and must now be approached through a broader national security and infrastructure resilience lens. He referenced Ghana's 2024 power outlook, which projected a system peak demand of about 3,788 megawatts against installed capacity exceeding 5,000 megawatts. He noted that maintenance constraints and fuel supply challenges continue to threaten supply reliability. He explained that power system security must include cybersecurity experts, telecom engineers, emergency planners, regulators, financiers and national security agencies working together within an integrated framework. He pointed to reliability indicators showing that although Ghana has recorded improvements in electricity distribution between 2018 and 2023, power distributors such as the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) still failed to meet critical outage frequency benchmarks in several operational areas.

Dr. Apetorgbor called for the establishment of a dedicated Power Sector Cybersecurity and Operational Technology Security Programme to monitor cyber threats across the electricity sector in real time. Among the measures he proposed are mandatory cybersecurity standards for utilities and independent power producers, stricter separation between corporate IT systems and operational control systems, regular cyber-risk audits and national incident-response simulations.