PURC

PURC Missed The Point On Cash Waterfall Mechanism, Fuel Purchases – ECG
19 Sep

PURC Missed The Point On Cash Waterfall Mechanism, Fuel Purchases – ECG

wontumionlineNews,
The Electricity Company of Ghana says the latest report by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) on the operations of the power distributor as they relate to the Cash Waterfall Mechanism (CWM), leaves much to be desired. In expressing disappointment with the PURC’s review of the CWM, ECG said in a statement issued Thursday that the report misrepresents key issues. According to the ECG, its fuel costs, crucial to maintaining operations, were inaccurately labelled as a “variance,” and while ECG has made significant progress, such as independently procuring fuel, it is framed negatively in the report. Additionally, ECG said the…
Read More
ECG Board Fires PURC Over Fine
19 Apr

ECG Board Fires PURC Over Fine

wontumionlineNews,
The Board of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) have responded to the GH¢5,868,000 fine Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) for the company’s failure to provide a load-shedding timetable. The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) on April, 16, imposed a GH¢5,868,000 fine on ECG for its failure to comply with the statutory notice on notification and publication of planned outages, as required by Regulation 39 of LI 2413. The Board members of ECG who were in office from January 1 to March 18, 2024 are required to pay the fine into a dedicated fuel account jointly controlled by the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Finance…
Read More
PURC Orders ECG To Submit Load Management Schedule By April 2
19 Mar

PURC Orders ECG To Submit Load Management Schedule By April 2

wontumionlineNews,
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has instructed the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to submit a comprehensive load management timetable by April 2, 2024, in response to ongoing challenges with internet connectivity and power supply disruptions affecting Ghanaians. Despite recent electricity interruptions, ECG has asserted that no load-shedding timetable is currently required. However, the company has identified 630 overloaded transformers during peak hours as a key factor contributing to the crisis, indicating a surge in electricity demand exceeding the transformers' full capacity. In an order dated Monday, March 18, 2024, PURC mandated ECG to provide detailed information, including ratings…
Read More
Make Meters Available To Customers To Stop Illegal Connections – PURC To ECG
16 Oct

Make Meters Available To Customers To Stop Illegal Connections – PURC To ECG

wontumionlineBusiness,
As part of measures to clamp down the sale and use of unapproved meters in the country, the Executive Secretary of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), Dr Ishmael Ackah, has called on the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to make this essential commodity - meter - available to customers. He explained that some Ghanaians connect to the power and water illegally because they allege ECG and Ghana Water Company Limited do not hasten to come to their aid when they file a complaint or request for a meter. Mr Ackah in an interview with Joy News said, “When it…
Read More
No Hike In Electricity, Water Tariffs For Lifeline Customers – PURC
23 Aug

No Hike In Electricity, Water Tariffs For Lifeline Customers – PURC

wontumionlineNews
Ghanaians can now breathe a sigh of relief as the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has announced that there will be no additional charges on electricity for the third quarter. This decision comes after the completion of the regulatory process for the quarterly adjustment of utility tariffs for the third quarter of 2023. In a statement issued by the PURC, it was revealed that extensive deliberations and analysis led to the decision of not implementing any increment or change (0%) in end-user electricity tariffs for lifeline customers, industrial customers, and non-residential customers, which include small and medium-scale businesses such as…
Read More
Water, Electricity Tariffs Increase Effective Today
01 Jun

Water, Electricity Tariffs Increase Effective Today

wontumionlineNews
Consumers of water and electricity in Ghana will experience a price hike starting today, June 1, 2023, as the Public Utility Regulatory Authority (PURC) has recently approved an upward adjustment in tariffs. The electricity tariff will be increased by 18.36%, while water tariffs will see a 19% increase. These adjustments are attributed to the rising costs of production. Alhaji Abubakari Jabari, the Regional Director of Operations for the PURC, explained in an interview with Starr News on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, that customers who pay postpaid bills on June 1, 2023, will still be charged based on the old rates.…
Read More
Recent Tariff Increases Not Influenced By IMF Deal – PURC
29 May

Recent Tariff Increases Not Influenced By IMF Deal – PURC

wontumionlineBusiness
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has responded to public claims suggesting that the recent upward adjustment in utility tariffs was influenced by International Monetary Fund (IMF) conditionalities. Ghana recently secured a US$ 3 Billion Extended Credit Facility from the IMF to restore macroeconomic stability and make the nation’s Debt Sustainable. As part of moves to reduce fiscal costs, government is designing and implementing comprehensive energy sector reforms which include tariff adjustments under the 3-year IMF Program. But during a media engagement, the Executive Secretary of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission, Dr. Ishmael Ackah emphasized that the decision was based…
Read More
PURC Explains 18.36% Electricity Tariff Increment After Public Uproar
29 May

PURC Explains 18.36% Electricity Tariff Increment After Public Uproar

wontumionlineBusiness, ,
Dr. Ismael Ackah, the executive secretary of the Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC), has provided details on how the Commission settled on an 18.6% tariff increment for the next quarter. He empathized and acknowledged the "current economic challenges", but cited that although consumer satisfaction is the PURC's top priority, it is also their duty to ensure that utility providers are financially secure to "continually provide quality service to consumers." Speaking at the PURC media fellowship program on May 27, 2023, he explained that the tariff should have been increased to 27.51% to recover an estimated GH¢1.31492 billion but the announced…
Read More
‘There Was A Need To Increase It’ – PURC Justifies 18.36% Hike On Electricity Tariff
18 May

‘There Was A Need To Increase It’ – PURC Justifies 18.36% Hike On Electricity Tariff

wontumionlineBusiness
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has justified an 18.36 per cent increment in electricity and natural gas. On Wednesday, May 17, 2023, PURC announced that it has raised the average end-user tariff for electricity by 18.36 per cent for the second quarter of 2023, adding on to an almost 30 per cent increase in the first quarter. According to the Commission, the decision was informed by the findings of its Quarterly Tariff Review meeting for the second quarter of the year 2023. The commission attributed the recent hike to the depreciation of the cedi, inflation, the electricity generation mix,…
Read More
Adopt A Graduated Approach To Debt Recovery – Government To PURC
17 May

Adopt A Graduated Approach To Debt Recovery – Government To PURC

wontumionlineBusiness
The government has urged the PURC to defer at least 35% of the next electricity tariff adjustment owing to the current economic challenges faced by Ghanaians. Ahead of the PURC’s expected quarterly adjustment of electricity tariffs, Government Officials are reported to be impressing on the regulator to be measured in its efforts to clear the outstanding debts owed to Power Producers. Forex-related debts owed to power producers are reported to have increased by some GH¢1.2 billion as a result of the non-application of the proposed 44% increase in tariffs in the last adjustment window. It will be recalled that though…
Read More