The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has advised customers whose buildings were inundated during spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong hydro dams, to engage electricians certified by the Energy Commission for the rewiring of their homes.
Some residents of some communities affected by the Akosombo Dam water spillage in the later part of 2023, have not had electricity supply, though there is a general power supply to these communities.
These isolated cases are due to internal issues of wiring within these homes/premises as the flood waters caused damages to them.
However, the power distributor is unsure of the extent of damage and is, therefore, calling on affected customers to have their premises checked and affirmed by Certified Electrical Wiring Personnel (CEWP) and Inspectors accredited by the Energy Commission of Ghana.
“The reports to be provided by these personnel will form the basis for power supply restoration,” Public Relations Officer for the Tema Region of ECG, Sakyiwaa Mensah indicated in a release issued Tuesday, February 6, 2024.
Billing covering flood period
In a related development, there is a concern from some customers who have received electricity bills covering the period of the floods, while they were not occupying their homes or using the electricity.
In a response, however, the power distributor is asking the affected customers to “focus on paying their bills received for power consumed before and after the flooding period.”
According to the Ms Mensah, “The ECG is liaising with Community Leaders and the Assembly Men and Women to compile the list of all customers whose homes got flooded, including those who lost their homes/premises totally.”
“The Management of ECG is yet to take a decision on the bills produced during the period of the flooding for the affected customers,” she stated.
The PRO further calls on customers to note that “as production of bills are cyclical in nature, the bills they receive currently will still have the period of the flooding on it.”
“It is worthy to note that if a customer was owing ECG before the onset of the flood, it was legitimate consumption for which the bill must be paid.”
Spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong Dams started on the September 15, 2023, and ended in October of the same year.
The power distributor had to cut power supply to the affected areas for safety reasons.
Power supply was subsequently restored gradually to customers as the situation improved except those whose premises are not ready to be connected back to the electricity supply.
