PURC orders ECG to pay GH¢1.9m compensation to customers
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has ordered the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to pay compensation, totaling over GH¢1.9 million to prepayment customers, who were unable to purchase electricity units from December 3-12, 2017.
In all, 41,000 residential and non-residential customers within the affected districts of Achimota, Korle-Bu, Dansoman and Kaneshie would have their accounts credited by ECG.
A statement from the PURC, signed by Mrs. Mami Dufie Ofori, Executive Secretary, said the order followed ECG’s failure to provide facilities for vending of electricity credit to customers on its prepayment meter system in Achimota-Korle-Bu-Dansoman and Kaneshie), during the period, contrary to its statutory obligations.
Besides, ECG was slow in its response to customers and the public and also submitted late and unsatisfactory response to related regulatory queries.
“Having investigated the matter, reviewed data submitted by the ECG, including correspondence, minutes, incident reports, BOT contract and system documentation, the Commission arrived at the conclusion that there was a violation on the part of the ECG,” the statement said.
It said ECG had been ordered to pay compensation to its affected customers for loss suffered as a show of good customer service.
The compensation is based on the average energy lost to each customer category as a result of the prepayment failure for 10 days and does not affect the Service Charge or other charges.
It said residential customers in the 0-50 class would be credited with GH¢1.74 while those in the 51-300 get GH¢26.97.
Customers in the 301-600 bracket would get GH¢98.30 credit while the 600+ would receive GH¢76.64.
For non-residential customers in the 0-300 class the ECG would credit their account with GH¢20.80, those in the 301-600 get GH¢108.47 while 601+ class would be GH¢1,109.33.
The Commission said the compensation to the affected customers in the form of one-time electricity credit effective February, 2018, should be done by March 1, 2018 and evidence submitted to the Commission by ECG on or before March 5, 2018.
The Commission through its regular monitoring of utility service provision, became aware on December 4, 2017, of the inability of the ECG customers in Achimota, Korle-Bu, Dansoman and Kaneshie Districts of Accra to purchase electricity units.
The Commission undertook preliminary investigations into the matter on December 4, 2017 and further directed ECG to submit technical and operational information on the Prepayment System and its failure. ECG was also given an opportunity to answer questions and explain the circumstances of the incident to the Commission.
Source: GNA