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ECG to improve supply to Ashanti
ECG to improve supply to Ashanti

ECG to improve supply to Ashanti

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has invested $120 million into various interventions in the Ashanti Region aimed at improving electricity supply.

The money was acquired from the company’s internally generated funds as well as donor support and is directed at improving the company’s operational efficiency and customer care in addition to creating systems reliability and security in power supply in the region.

Expansion

The Managing Director of the ECG, Mr Boakye Appiah, made the disclosure at a press conference in Kumasi.

He said the electricity substations at Barekese, Offinso, Bekwai, Asante-Mampong and Konongo would be expanded as part of measures geared towards improving power supply to the communities.

He said works on the substations were scheduled to be completed by September this year.

Mr Appiah said other works to be undertaken  by the company included installation of over 500,000 prepaid meters at Danyame, Asokwa, Manhyia, Abuakwa and the Suame business centre. The new meters, he said, would replace the existing credit meters.

The ECG Managing Director said the shift from credit meters to prepaid meters would lead to improved revenue collection in the region.

According to him, when revenue was increased it would lead to reduction in power theft by way of illegal connection which would in turn minimise debts customers owe to the company.

“Most importantly, it would address the issue of over and under billing associated with credit meters,” he said.

He said installation of prepaid meters in the region was being conducted concurrently by three companies and the exercise was expected to be completed within the next three years.

Network improvement

Mr Appiah said the ECG had engaged the services of Messrs Atlantic Holding Limited, a local engineering company, and its German partners, Alsthom, to supply and install supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) equipment at all the substations including fixing of telecommunications apparatuses all at a total cost of $3 million.

He said when the project was completed, faults would be restored faster and would enable remote monitoring of network conditions for pre-emptive action to be taken.

In addition, he said, there would be improvement in electricity supply in the Kumasi Metropolis.

Education Ministry

A Deputy Minister of Energy, Mr William Owuraku Aidoo, said the government was doing all it could to make sure that there was improvement in supply and reliability of electricity in the country.

He said the government was investmenting to not only produce reliable power but to also improve the distribution network as well, so that there would be reliable electricity power supply all over the country.

Mr Aidoo, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) of Afigya Kwabre South, said the government had put in place measures to settle monies owed the Electricity Company of Ghana by metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies across the nation.

“A meeting has taken place between the Ministry of Energy and other stakeholders in power generation, to have all ministries, departments and agencies as well to settle their indebtedness to the ECG since huge debts owed the company was affecting its smooth operations,” he said.

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