Grid constraints and supply shortfalls behind recent outages, utility says
Thursday, 12 March 2026 11:45 
(Togo First) - Power disruptions have affected Lomé and other major cities across Togo for several weeks. Débo-K'mba Barandao, director general of the Compagnie énergie électrique du Togo (CEET), addressed the situation on state broadcaster TVT on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
Barandao said the outages stem mainly from capacity constraints on the national grid, combined with strong electricity demand. Some equipment in the power system is currently undergoing maintenance to ensure the safety and reliability of infrastructure.
Electricity supply shortfalls from regional interconnections have also contributed to the disruptions. CEET has held talks with industrial consumers to encourage them to reduce electricity consumption voluntarily and rely more on their own generators.
“That would have allowed the available electricity to be prioritized for households. But the situation evolved in a way we did not want. Last week, for example, in addition to the external supply deficit, a power plant shut down for technical reasons, which worsened the shortfall,” Barandao said.
To limit disruptions, the company said it has mobilized technical teams to speed up repair work and strengthen the grid.
“Teams are already deployed in the field to accelerate the work and stabilize electricity supply,” the director general said.
Several projects aimed at improving grid performance are also underway to increase Togo’s electricity generation and distribution capacity. Discussions are continuing with regional partners, including Ghana and Nigeria, to increase electricity imports, according to the company.
The disruptions come as Togo has stepped up efforts in recent years to expand electricity access, with a target of universal coverage by 2030. As part of that effort, the government plans to mobilize nearly 70 billion CFA francs this year through the ministry delegate in charge of energy to continue ongoing projects and launch new initiatives in the sector.
Esaïe Edoh
