The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has introduced an application to conveniently address the issues faced by customers who apply for service.
The application, Loss Reduction Programme (LRP), inaugurated in 2023, is an initiative of the ECG to facilitate the installation of MMS-compliant smart meters directly to customers to improve energy accounting.
The project is aimed at ensuring the availability of meters to meet service connection requests and to also reduce system losses.
Speaking in an interview monitored by Angelonline.com.gh, Managing Director of the ECG, Samuel Dubik Mahama touted the App as very trusted.
“With the introduction of the Loss Reduction Program following the pending discussion by the PURC, the period for the acquisition of a new meter is one week. It is part of the new service connection charges where owners of new buildings seek for meters.
Apart from that, we know some people cannot exercise restraints as well as the issues of ‘Goro Boys’ (middlemen) in the system. To deal with that, we have started with our premium service system, whose mode of operation is based on what a customer can afford to pay,” he said.
Touching on the procedures new customers seeking meters go through, Mr. Mahama noted that the ECG pays half of the costs involved.
“When we talk of the premium service charges, there are people whose communities are newly established sites and need electricity poles and other things that were not captured previously in our Normal Designed Network. In this instance, the ECG and a customer share the cost involved.
The aim for this Premium Service is bringing to an end the issues where new customers cannot get access to acquiring for a meter despite having being ready to pay for its costs.”
The Managing Director shields more light on the costs involved in the meter acquisition, indicating a single-phase meter is GHC1,200 while the two-phase is GHC2,300.
“It falls under the PURC with regards to the Straight Service,” he added.
He entreated customers of the ECG to practice the proper way of meter acquisition by visiting the offices of the power company rather than depending on unauthorized persons, also known as “goro boys.”
“Let us use the proper channels to apply for metering services to have our details captured in the system.”
According to Mr. Mahama, dealing with these “goro boys” is done at one own risk, as he urges the general public to help sanitize the system with the proper practices.
