2013 utility tariff reduction caused dumsor - PURC

The Public Affairs Director of the Public Utilities and Regulatory Commission has attributed the current power crisis to the reduction in tariffs in 2013.

Government in 2013 announced a reduction in electricity tariff by 25 percent after the PURC announced a 78.9 per cent hike.

According to Nana Yaa Jantua, several warnings by the PURC that any form of reduction in tariffs was going to have dire consequences on the nation were ignored by the public and pressure groups.

Her comments come after the Christian Council called on the PURC to reverse the recent utility tariff hikes.

The PURC earlier this month announced an increase in electricity and water tariffs by 59.2% and 67.2% respectively ahead of the Christmas season.

But the Christian Council in a statement said the decision by the PURC, especially in these very difficult economic times where businesses are struggling to thrive, coupled with the current high cost of living and erratic supply of water and electricity is very insensitive, unfortunate and must quickly be reversed.

Speaking on Morning Starr Thursday on the recent hikes in utility tariffs, Jantua told host Nii Arday Clegg that similar calls for a reduction in 2013 plunged the country into the current energy crisis.

“We noticed that if we were not careful this country would be plunged into massive load shedding, we said it…because in that tariff we made an account for crude oil that can be bought for the plants in case our prediction comes true.

“That tariff was almost halved into two and we were desperate because we said if this thing is touched there would be massive load shedding and nobody listened. We go for meetings and everybody is desperate because we knew what would happen,” Jantua said.