ECG MD refutes claims of overcharging customers as it replaces obsolete metres 

• Posted on September 3, 2024September 3, 2024
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has dismissed allegations that the ongoing installation of new prepaid metres is an attempt to overcharge customers.

According to the company, these new metres are designed to accurately reflect energy consumption levels, and customers should not be concerned about being overbilled.

Speaking at the launch of the Metre Replacement Exercise in Accra East, the Managing Director of ECG, Samuel Dubik Mahama, emphasized the importance of this initiative as part of the company’s Loss Reduction Programme (LRP).

The programme aims to install smart metres that will enhance energy accounting and improve the overall efficiency of electricity distribution.

“The old metres we had were very mechanical, which also led to some form of revenue loss,” Mahama stated, addressing concerns from customers who have reported increased energy consumption with the new meters.

He assured the public that the replacement of these meters is not a scheme to cheat anyone. “Prepaid metres do have a lifespan; they do not go beyond 10 years. We are replacing these meters not because we want to cheat anybody. If anybody feels cheated, the standards authority is available,” he added.

Mahama also highlighted that accurate revenue generation is essential for sustaining the energy sector, urging the public not to politicize the exercise. “Let us not politicize the exercise; revenue generation by ECG is very critical to keep this sector alive,” he stressed.

The exercise, which forms part of ECG’s broader efforts to modernize its infrastructure, will see all faulty meters replaced in targeted parts of Accra. Customers are advised to refrain from tampering with the new meters, as the company continues its drive to improve service delivery and ensure accurate billing.