Consumers laud pre-paid metering technology

Accra, July 15, GNA - A cross-section of electricity consumers using pre-paid metres have lauded its introduction, saying it has helped them to control their expenditure on the utility. In an interview with the Ghana News Agency some consumers at Dzorwulu, Adenta and Tema said pre-paid metres had helped to change their behaviour in the use of electricity and as a result they were spending less.

"For me it has brought changes in my usage behaviour and I am spending less on energy now. Maybe some form of education, I mean intensive one, must be started to enable others to join the scheme," Mrs Matilda Asamoah, a trader said.

It is estimated that some 20,000 homes are using the pre-payment metering system across the country after it was introduced on pilot basis by the Electricity Company of Ghana some five years ago. "As there is no metre reading, the risk of human error on meter reading and the risk of estimated readings being used for billing are non-existent," she stressed.

Mr. Pius Agbeko, an engineer, said he previously spent an average of GH¢50.00 on electricity monthly but had to adjust and control usage when the prepaid metres were installed in his house. "We agreed that we will not go beyond GH¢30.00 monthly and everyone abides by the controls we have in place," he said. According to him, since there was no need to wait for an unknown bill from ECG, uncertainty is removed. It is also easy and comfortable and allows customers time to budget.

But all is not rosy. Some of the consumers also complained about frustrations they face in buying electricity units. "My brother there is trouble when your units run out. It is one form of go and come tomorrow until you are exhausted," Ms. Antionette Abbey, a seamstress, told the GNA. She added: "There is also the problem of understanding how the pre-paid metres work and how consumers could budget how many units to buy. "I hardly understand how these metres work. At times my machine will read slowly which is good, but at times it reads so fast I just can't understand. At least it must be consistent in its reading operations."

But in all this, the consumers said the pre-payment system had advantages over the old system, including the reduction in the risk of disconnection, no estimated bill or indebtedness to the utility company and also puts the consumers in control over their consumption. There are plans to have a general nationwide roll-out of the prepayment metering technology as the policy to drive the nation towards improved energy delivery, following the remarkable results achieved during the evaluation and monitoring process.

Under the programme, all Government Buildings, Ministries, Departments and Agencies will be replaced with Prepaid Meters as the first step towards extending it to the various regions, industries, households and other consuming groups.

Stakeholders believe that the drive towards pre-paid metres would help reduce the debt owed by ECG and power distributor the Volta River Authority (VRA) as customers will pay up front for their energy needs, have access to their consumption pattern and also use this as a guide to reduce electricity consumption which will significantly reduce waste. This is also expected to empower the electricity companies to be in a position to acquire new state of the art equipment for power generation, transmission and distribution. 15 July 08