Volta Region electricity complaints to be investigated independently over faulty meters and billing

The government is to commission an independent investigation into complaints of faulty electricity meters and alleged overbilling in parts of the Volta Region.

The inquiry will be carried out by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) and the Energy Commission after residents raised concerns about inaccurate bills and defective meters.

The decision was announced by the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr John Abdulai Jinapor, at the launch and sensitisation of the Turnkey Electrification Project in Ho on Friday, August 28.

Dr Jinapor said electricity customers remained responsible for paying their bills, but stressed that they should be charged only for the power they had accurately consumed.

“I am not saying that you should not pay your bills; you must pay your bills. But we want you to pay the right bills. We will send a team from the PURC, not ECG, because the complaint is against ECG, and we cannot ask ECG to come and investigate itself. We need an independent body.”

The investigation will examine claims that some meters are not functioning properly and that customers have been issued with incorrect electricity bills.

The minister said action would be taken if the inquiry found evidence of irregularities. He did not provide further details about the possible measures, but said the findings would guide the response to the complaints.

Residents were also assured that faulty meters would be replaced. Customers who are found to have paid more than they should have as a result of inaccurate billing will receive credits to recover the excess amounts over time.

The government’s decision to involve PURC and the Energy Commission is intended to ensure that the complaints are assessed by bodies independent of ECG. Dr Jinapor said it would not be appropriate for ECG to investigate complaints made against the company itself.

He urged residents to allow the process to be completed and to accept its conclusions once the investigation has run its course.

The minister said the exercise was aimed at strengthening transparency, fairness and accountability in the electricity sector, while ensuring that consumers paid bills that accurately reflected their usage.

The complaints from parts of the Volta Region have centred on two linked concerns: the reliability of electricity meters installed for customers and the accuracy of the bills produced from those readings. The independent investigation is expected to establish whether the reported faults and billing discrepancies occurred and, where necessary, provide the basis for correcting them.

The government has therefore called on residents to cooperate with the inquiry as the PURC and the Energy Commission review the allegations. Customers affected by faulty meters or overbilling will rely on the findings to determine whether replacements or credits are required.