Local News

ECG Blames Legacy Meters and Unregistered Installations for Revenue Losses

Story Highlights
  • ECG’s William Boateng says many meters are not on the company’s digital system
  • Outdated meters and self-help electrification projects are key causes
  • Smart meters are being introduced to improve monitoring and billing

The Electricity Company of Ghana’s (ECG) Director of Communications, William Boateng, has disclosed that a substantial number of electricity meters across the country are not integrated into the company’s digital system—a gap that is leading to significant revenue losses.

In an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show, Mr. Boateng explained that many of these meters are either outdated or were installed through electrification projects carried out without ECG’s involvement.

“There are meters in use that have been around for over a decade and don’t pass through our network. Like any technology, meters have a lifespan, and many have become obsolete,” he said.

To address the problem, ECG is rolling out about 10 new types of smart meters compatible with its Meter Management System (MMS). These meters communicate directly with ECG’s servers, allowing for more efficient monitoring and customer service.

“With the smart meters, customers don’t need to visit our offices to pay bills—they can do it via mobile using our app. That’s the path we’re taking: fully cashless transactions,” Boateng said, clarifying that while some are prepaid meters, not all prepaid units are considered smart meters.

He added that the company is working to build a comprehensive digital map and database to track all smart meters. However, he admitted that “hundreds of meters still remain outside ECG’s digital system.”

Mr. Boateng cited historical self-help electrification projects—often initiated by local political figures without ECG’s involvement—as a major cause of the disconnect.

“In the past, communities undertook electrification projects through Ministry contracts. These were often led by local assembly members who bypassed ECG. As a result, we didn’t have any data on where meters were installed or how many existed,” he explained.

This oversight has left ECG unaware of certain power usage, which only becomes evident after field mappers investigate and record the meters. “People end up using power for years without payment, which leads to major revenue losses,” he added.

He also acknowledged ongoing electricity theft. “Yes, people are stealing electricity. But when we catch them, we recover the money. We treat these as losses and continue to work on correcting illegal connections.”

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