Cost of electricity likely to go up in the coming weeks
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has disclosed that there might be a possible increase in the cost of electricity in the coming weeks as it commences plans to adjust its tariffs.
A director at the Office of the Managing Director, Noble Dorwume, indicated that a request has been tabled with the Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC) for consideration and approval.
ECG revealed this at a meeting with the PURC in Tamale on Friday, March 11, adding that the review of the tariffs would be based on the classification of the Company’s customers.
“We have given an upward review based on the cost, inflation and other economic parameters.”
“So, it will depend on how PURC looks at it and which group should have a slight adjustment, which one should have a downward review and will give us the needed revenue with which we will be able to run this business successfully,” he explained.
The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), in August 2021, raised concerns over what it described as wastage within the power distribution company, coming at the back of the Auditor-General’s disclosure that the ECG, between 2014 and 2016, procured prepaid metres and conductors worth GHS 59 million but were not utilised.
The AG’s audit report added that the Company expended over GHS 180 million as a capacity charge by Cenit Energy in 2018.
The last time ECG increased electricity tariffs was in October 2019, which was a 5.94 per cent increment.
Meanwhile, the Company has introduced a system that will reward persons who report those engaged in illegal connections to enable them to enjoy power for free.
According to the ECG Tema Region General Manager, Emmanuel Akinie, illegal connections are denying the power distribution company valuable revenue.
He says the new system will ensure that a massive revenue mobilisation drive is instituted to minimise the country’s energy sector debt.
“It is wrong to steal power, but what we have also done is that anybody who reports somebody who has carried out illegal connection gets something out of the money that we’ll recover from the illegality.”
“We are encouraging people to report those who are involved in illegal connections. Once we can detect that there is illegality involved, you’d be entitled to some percentage of the amount that we bill,” he said.
Emmanuel Akinie warned perpetrators of the crime to stop as the law will soon catch up with them and get them prosecuted for their offences.
