Electrical power in Ghana

All! And some are worse than others. Wherever you live you will need a back up supply. In a gated community this is usually supplied by the landlord and service fees cover the costs of running it

On an average how many hours of electricity & power are available in Accra?  Is there a difference of availability of power & electricity between residential areas in Accra and market/commercial areas in Accra?

How is the drinking water availability in residences and commercial areas? Is Municipal Water supply available or one has to depend on totally purchasing mineral water? If the municipal water is available is it fit for drinking straightaway or has to be boiled? NRN

How much power is available depends on the situation in the country. There can be periods of almost constant power and times when it is off for a number of hours every couple of days.
Water again depends on where you live. We get water a couple of times a week but as we have 2 tanks have never been without water or had to buy it from a tanker as is common in many areas. We have a filter for our drinking water but use tap water for everything else. It is not advisable to drink from the tap and there is bottled water available

Many thanks for your reply.

Which areas do we get good water supply please?

I can only speak for my area, Spintex, and we tend to get water regularly. I have friends in Labone and they have to buy water most of the time.

ok thanks

Thank you very much for responses!

In America, I don't think it even crosses our minds about daily life without a constant electrical supply and water supply and internet connectivity.

I am prepared for the adjustments that will be necessary in Ghana though!

Thank you for the advice, everyone!

What do you do when there is no power in the house for hours?
Do you have oil lanterns?
Do you use wax candles?
Do you use battery-operated lanterns? Is it easy to find battery-operated fans for purchase in stores?
I am asking so I will know what to buy and pack when I come to Ghana, and what I will not need to bring if it is plentiful there.

Also, how does the loss of power impact safety? Is there an increase in break-ins whenever there is no power on the streets?

Thank you!

There are all types of solar or battery lamps that are available and candles. It all depends on your preference. We have batteries and an inverter so usually have lights but have had to use candles occasionally.
There are some fans available that have rechargeable batteries that also have a light and allow you to recharge your phone so you might invest in one of those.
As to crime in lights off, most places don't have street lights anyway so that isn't affected. Not a huge crime problem in Ghana so haven't noticed an increase during times when the power is off

All Areas with no exception, visit this link below to check your area and date of load shedding published by local utility company (ECG).

Expect lightoff once every 36 hours for 14 hours continues.

ecgonline.info/images/Publication/Load_Shedding_SEPT_23_Updated.pdf

Your best solution, is to purchase a genset,

Thank you for responses!

With power being regularly turned off for so many hours, I will assume that keeping foods in a freezer will not be practical since the food will thaw and have to be thrown away or else all of it cooked right away.

Thanks, Hayssam.Halawi for the document for reference!