The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has summoned the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to explain growing public concerns over the unusually rapid depletion of prepaid electricity units.
In a directive issued by the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Shafic Suleman, the Managing Director of ECG, together with key officials from the company’s technical, commercial, ICT and customer service departments, has been instructed to attend an emergency meeting scheduled for Wednesday, February 26.
In a formal letter sighted by Myjoyonline, the PURC said it had taken note of “widespread media reports and public complaints alleging rapid depletion of prepaid electricity units” following the January tariff adjustment under the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO).
Addressing the concerns, Mr Suleman assured the public that regulatory and sector agencies were working collaboratively to resolve the matter.
“The PURC, the Energy Commission, the Ministry, and all the agencies are working together to get to the bottom of the matter and resolve it fairly and impartially,” he stated.
ECG, for its part, has maintained that it has not implemented any tariff changes beyond what was approved by the regulator.
“Whatever increment PURC gives us is what is captured in our system. We have not implemented anything beyond that,” the company said.
The utility provider also suggested that increased electricity consumption, particularly due to higher temperatures, could be contributing to faster unit usage.
“When the heat increases, someone can even double the use of cooling appliances. That alone can affect your consumption,” ECG explained.
The outcome of Wednesday’s meeting is expected to clarify the cause of the reported unit depletion and determine whether any corrective measures are required.