nLine Inc., in collaboration with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA), the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), and the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), has launched a groundbreaking dataset that offers a detailed look into Accra’s electricity grid performance. This dataset, generated as part of the MCC’s Ghana Power Compact, provides first-of-its-kind insights into the quality and reliability of the electricity supplied to consumers.
The GridWatch Accra Dataset, developed using nLine’s advanced GridWatch Suite of technologies, compiles granular data on power quality across 14 Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) Districts in the capital city. With this data, stakeholders can now track power outages, voltage drops (brownouts), and voltage surges (whiteouts) in real-time.
Dr. Noah Klugman, CEO and co-founder of nLine, expressed excitement over the release of the dataset, highlighting its potential to support the ECG, the Government of Ghana, and other stakeholders in addressing persistent challenges in the nation’s power sector. The data enables real-time insights into grid performance, which is crucial for improving power reliability and ultimately enhancing the quality of life for millions of Ghanaians.
For years, Ghana has struggled with erratic power supply, famously referred to as “dumsor,” characterized by prolonged load-shedding. While efforts to resolve these challenges have been ongoing, real-time visibility into grid operations has been limited. nLine’s GridWatch Suite, an affordable and agile monitoring technology, is poised to change this narrative.
The Accra GridWatch Dataset offers striking revelations. According to the data, the city’s best year in terms of grid performance over the last five years was 2022. However, in 2024, the Kasoa South, Ablekuma, and Nsawam ECG Districts recorded the highest number of outages, with Kasoa South experiencing a staggering 209 outages—eight times more than Roman Ridge, the district with the fewest outages.
Since 2018, nLine has deployed over 1,200 GridWatch sensors across Accra, generating more than nine million data points over five years. These insights, made possible through the support of MCC and MiDA, have been vital in evaluating the Ghana Power Compact’s impact. Kofi Marfo, M&E and Economics Director for MiDA, emphasized the importance of the dataset in strengthening evidence-based policymaking and expressed optimism about replicating the model across the country.
As nLine wraps up the first phase of its project in Ghana, the company plans to continue scaling its data collection efforts to further support stakeholders. In addition to Ghana, nLine is operational in ten other African countries, where it is collecting power quality data to assist governments, utilities, and investors in making informed decisions on energy infrastructure investments.
