The Greater Accra Regional Office of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) on August 11, 2026, held a high-level operational engagement with District Managers and District Technical Officers of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), to enable the Commission strengthen its collaboration with the Service Provider and to improve electricity service delivery in the Greater Accra Region.
The engagement, which brought together managers from the Accra East, Accra West and Tema operational areas, focused on PURC’s mid-year monitoring findings and the persistent consumer concerns relating to quality of service.
According to the Commission, a greater number of consumer complaints received for the first half of the year relate to persistent power outages, phase-offs, power fluctuations and low voltages. PURC disclosed that its 24 Assembly WhatsApp platforms have contributed significantly to the electronic reporting of consumer complaints, enabling faster identification and resolution of faults.
The Commission also presented findings from its field and industrial monitoring exercises, which revealed overloaded transformers, meter shortages and theft, network connectivity gaps and cases of impersonation of ECG staff by.
Call for Transformer Upgrades and Better Outage Communication
PURC called on ECG to prioritise transformer upgrades and network infrastructure reinforcement, improve communication on fault restoration timelines and strengthen field operations to respond more promptly to consumer complaints.
Meter Delays Fuel Billing Disputes
The Commission expressed concerns about delays in meter acquisition, installation and replacement, noting that the delays contribute to estimated billing, illegal connections and disputes over consumption. District Managers were urged to improve efficiency in the metering process and to provide consumers with clear information on application procedures, requirements and expected timelines
Billing Remains Top Source of Complaints.
Billing was identified as a major driver of complaints. Consumers continue to raise issues of high or unexpected bills, estimated billing, inaccurate meter readings and delays in resolving billing disputes.
PURC stressed the need for prompt investigation of billing complaints, accurate meter readings and proper customer-account management to reduce disputes.
The Krobo District Manager noted that billing challenges have resurfaced in the area following the 2016 disturbances. He disclosed that some customers had installed substandard meters that were not captured in ECG’s system and had refused to pay bills, leading to disconnections. He explained that some billing challenges are linked to the transition to a new billing system following the shutdown of the old system. ECG indicated that efforts are underway to restore full functionality and to resolve billing disparities.
The engagement discussed extensively, the Self-Help Electrification Project (SHEP) meters and the distribution of meters outside ECG’s regular systems. PURC encouraged ECG to intensify the replacement of post-paid and SHEP meters with prepaid meters in problem areas, particularly Ada and Somanya Districts. The Commission said it had taken note of ECG’s recommendation for a Legislative Instrument to regulate the acquisition and distribution of meters by Assembly Members.
PURC noted that, the engagement provides a valuable platform to address operational and technical challenges affecting service delivery and reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that consumers in Greater Accra would receive reliable, safe, efficient and quality electricity supply while strengthening accountability and collaboration between the regulator and the utility.
PURC commended the District Managers for their cooperation and efforts in enhancing customer relations, but flagged key challenges affecting consumers, which need to be addressed.
