The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has revealed that it loses about GH¢25 million every time it rains in any part of the country. According to the Managing Director, Samuel Dubik Mahama, electricity consumption tends to decrease when the weather is cold.
He disclosed this on JoyNews’ PM Express, a program that discusses the challenges and opportunities in the power sector. He said that before the rainy season, ECG was averaging between GH¢40 to GH¢50 million a day. But now, any day it rains, the revenue drops by GH¢25 million.
He also explained that rain hampers revenue collection as meter readings and other operational activities become difficult. However, he assured that ECG will eventually collect the owed amounts from customers.
Ghana has been experiencing a rainy season for an extended period this year, affecting the power supply and demand situation. According to the Ghana Meteorological Agency, the country is expected to have a normal to late-onset, mostly late-to-normal cessation, with short to normal dry spells during the forecast period.
The rainy season also poses some challenges for the power generation and transmission systems. For instance, heavy rainfall can cause flooding and damage power plants and transmission lines. It can also affect the availability and quality of gas supply from the West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo), which is a major source of fuel for thermal power plants in Ghana.
The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), which receives gas from WAPCo for onward supply to the power plants, has recently blamed ECG for failing to pay its debt to settle WAPCo for the supply of gas. This has resulted in power cuts in parts of the country, especially in Tema and Takoradi.
The power sector stakeholders have been working together to address these challenges and ensure a reliable and affordable electricity supply for Ghanaians. The government has also been implementing various reforms and initiatives to improve the efficiency and sustainability of the sector.
One of these initiatives is the introduction of prepaid meters, which are expected to reduce losses and enhance revenue collection for ECG. The Managing Director said that ECG has installed about 1.2 million prepaid meters nationwide and plans to install more in the coming years.
He also said that ECG is investing in smart technologies and renewable energy sources to diversify its power mix and reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. He mentioned that ECG has partnered with some private companies to install solar panels on some public buildings and institutions.
He expressed optimism that with these measures, ECG will overcome the challenges posed by the rainy season and provide quality service to its customers. He also appealed to customers to conserve energy and pay their bills promptly to support ECG’s operations.
Source: MyJoyOnline
