The Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Samuel Dubik Mahama, has disclosed the influence of weather patterns and seasonal variations on electricity sales and revenue.
He stated that whenever it rains anywhere in the country, ECG experiences a loss of approximately GH¢25 million because electricity consumption tends to decline during cold weather.
In an interview on JoyNews’ PM Express on Monday, he said: “Before the rainy season set in, ECG was averaging between GH¢40 and GH¢50 million a day. Now any day that you see rain, note that we’re down by GH¢25 million.”
He added, “We plan all-year round with the same tariff. In certain parts of the world the tariff is not flat. When its cold, it varies from when it is hot and they find a way to balance it out. But we have a tariff that runs all year without considering the down periods.
“So 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 on conservation.”
Mr Mahama made this revelation while discussing the topic “The Big Power Debate: The High Cost of Keeping the Lights On.”
He revealed that rainfall disrupts revenue collection by making meter reading and other operational activities more challenging. Nonetheless, he offered assurance that ECG remains committed to eventually recovering the outstanding amounts from its customers.
“The truth of the matter is whatever is consumed I’ll still collect it along the line, but that particular day that it has rained, I may be unable to collect monies owed me by customers,” he said.
In recent days, Ghanaians have encountered intermittent power outages, with the most recent one attributed to a shortage of gas for the power facilities in Tema and Takoradi.
The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), responsible for receiving gas from the West African Gas Pipeline Company for subsequent distribution to the power plants, has denied responsibility.
Instead, it has pointed the finger at ECG, alleging that ECG’s failure to settle its debt with the West Africa Gas Pipeline Company is the cause of the gas supply issue.