- ECG Accra West losses millions to energy theft
- Progress has been made in stemming illegal connections
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Accra West Region, has stated that the company lost up to GH¢4 million in the past nine months to illegal connection activities. In an interview with Ghana News Agency, the Regional Manager for the Accra West region, Mark Owusu Ansah, disclosed that the area had experienced similar losses in 2020.
”This year, 2021, the year has not ended, but from January to September, the illegal connections that we have been able to identify is 3.9m/kWh. When you convert it to monetary terms is GH¢3.9 million,” he added.
He lamented the effect of illegal connections on commercial activities of the ECG in the region. ”These illegal connections have adverse effect on us seriously in terms of revenue. You know, we purchase the power from our suppliers, and we distribute to our customers for profit. Everybody does business for profit, but in our case, we pay to our suppliers, but when it gets to our customers, they want to find means to use the power free, which is creating losses,” Ansah stated.
However, Dr Ansah further noted that progress had been made in reducing revenue losses due to illegal connections. He added that of the GH¢4 million loss incurred through energy theft, about GH¢2.2 million had been recovered.
The Ghanaian energy sector loses an estimated 31% annually to illegal connections.