Electricity company denies increasing tariffs

Accra (Greater Accra) , 19 Feb '99 -

Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) said on Thursday that seemingly high bills for January that consumers have been complaining about are due to a change in their consumption patterns. Consumers have complained that even though they have not added any new gadgets, their bills have been increasing gradually over the past four months, reaching their peak in January. Mr Prince Brobbey, Division Manager of Billing and Revenue, said in Accra that that the consumption pattern of consumers had changed since the end of the power crisis and this may have led to the higher tariffs. Mr Brobbey said after the crisis, consumption of electricity has gradually picked up and it has reached its peak. "All too soon, Ghanaians have lost sight of the need to conserve energy and are using electricity at the full blast. ''While some people are now using gadgets that were not being used during the crisis, others have also acquired more gadgets and ECG is not to blame for increased tariffs.''

"Ghanaians should be thankful for the additional power being supplied by independent power producers, Aboadze Thermal plant and Cote d'Ivoire else we will still be experiencing power outages as water in the Akosombo dam is below average.'' Mr Brobbey said the current tariffs are not enough to enable the ECG to break even. ''Indications are that we may declare a huge loss for 1998 and it will take us about three years to demand economic tariffs from consumers". GRi.../