ECG recovers GH¢ 351,307.51

The Eastern Regional branch of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) through the Loss Control Unit (LCU) has retrieved GH¢ 351,307.51 from customers who engaged in illegal connections, from January to October this year.

Last year, the company retrieved GH¢ 485,813.65 through illegalities recorded.

The Eastern Regional Manager of ECG, Mr. Michael Baah, announced these at a media briefing at Koforidua over the weekend.

He said the regional LCU team was constantly on the field to unearth illegal activities, including meter tampering, bypass, self-reconnection, unauthorised service connection and damaged meter.

Mr. Baah said the first quarter of 2016 was challenging to the ECG and its customers, especially when the Public Utility Regulation Council (PURC) announced the increment in utility tariffs by 59.2 per cent.

“The implementation of the new tariff coincided with the roll-out of a new operation system for ECG called Commercial Management System (CMS) and the immense reliance on this system on internet, which was not stable during its interception gave rise to some initial challenges which delayed bills within the first quarter of 2016,” he explained.

Mr. Baah, however, said the company had revamped and revitalised the electrical and internet network as well as extended electricity supply to various unnerved communities in the region.

He said that the region’s 115 projects, earmarked for this year, to improve supply voltage and supply reliability, extend power supply to developed areas to reinforce the existing electrical network system for customer satisfaction, have been completed.

The projects include the $1.7million mobile substation at Kwahu Mpraeso to cater for the rapid growth on the Kwahu ridge areas and Afram Plains, Mr. Baah said.

“We have also upgraded the Suhum switching station to a 2x 10MVA capacity substation to improve power supply at Suhum and its environs. It will also serve as an alternative source of supply to parts of Kibi, and Koforidua,” he said.

Mr. Baah indicated that work on a 2X10MVA 33/11KV primary station at Asamankese was at the completion stage.

From David Kodjo, Koforidua