The Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Samuel Dubik Mahama, has shed light on the impact of weather conditions and seasonality on electricity sales and revenue, disclosing that ECG faces significant losses during rainy periods.
During a discussion on JoyNews' PM Express under the theme “The Big Power Debate: The High Cost of Keeping the Lights On,” Mr Mahama highlighted the impact of rain on electricity sales.
“Before the rainy season set in, ECG was averaging between GH¢40 to GH¢50 million a day. Now any day that you see rain, note that we're down by GH¢25 million,” he stated.
Mr. Mahama expressed concern about the extended rainy season Ghana has experienced this year and its impact on revenue.
He noted that unlike certain parts of the world where tariffs vary depending on the weather, Ghana has a flat tariff structure throughout the year.
“Clearly, consumption will be less during these periods, and definitely revenue collected will not be adequate enough to cover the shortfalls. It is about how people live, and how buildings are constructed. With most people, they are comfortable with just the fresh air; they are fine and they are not going to consume a lot because everybody is actually on the path of conservation.”
Mr. Mahama also discussed the operational challenges posed by rainy weather, such as hampering revenue collection due to difficulties in meter reading and other operational activities.
Despite these challenges, he assured that ECG would eventually collect the owed amounts from customers.
The recent power cuts in Ghana, including one attributed to limited gas supply to power plants in Tema and Takoradi, have raised concerns among Ghanaians.
The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has blamed ECG for its failure to pay its debt to the West African Gas Pipeline Company for the supply of gas, which has contributed to the power issues.
