Public Utilities Regulatory Commission summons Electricity Company of Ghana over fast depletion of prepaid units

Ghana’s power regulator has summoned the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to an emergency meeting following widespread complaints that prepaid electricity units are running out faster than usual.
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) directed ECG’s Managing Director, alongside senior technical, commercial, ICT and customer service officials, to appear before it on Thursday, 26 February, to explain the situation.
The Commission said it had “taken note of widespread media reports and public complaints alleging rapid depletion of prepaid electricity units” after the January tariff adjustment introduced under the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO).
The Ministry of Energy has also stepped in, with the sector minister, through spokesperson Richmond Rockson, instructing ECG to investigate the complaints and submit a comprehensive report within seven days.
“The PURC, the Energy Commission, the Ministry, and all the agencies are working together to get to the bottom of the matter and resolve it fairly and impartially,” the spokesperson said.
ECG, however, has rejected suggestions of overbilling or system manipulation. William Boateng, the company’s Communications Director, said ECG only implements tariffs approved by PURC.
“Whatever increment PURC gives us is what is captured in our system. We have not implemented anything beyond that,” he said.
Boateng attributed the higher consumption to seasonal factors, particularly increased use of cooling appliances during hot weather.
“When the heat increases, someone can even double the use of cooling appliances. That alone can affect your consumption,” he added.
On 1 January 2026, PURC implemented a 9.86 percent electricity tariff hike under the 2026–2030 MYTO framework to support long-term investments in power infrastructure.
The increase has coincided with rising utility inflation, with electricity and gas inflation climbing from 6.1 percent year-on-year in December 2025 to 14.8 percent in January 2026.
The February 26 meeting is expected to examine how the tariff adjustments were integrated into the prepaid metering system, review any changes to system parameters, and assess the scale of consumer complaints, alongside possible corrective measures.