[ 2016-05-24 ]

ECG ordered to suspend implementation of new billing system
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission has
directed the Electricity Company of Ghana to
suspend the implementation of its new billing
system 'until further notice.'

This comes after the government ordered the
Commission to investigate anomalies which have
resulted in astronomical increases in electricity
bills.

Following the last adjustment in utility tariffs
by the PURC in December 2015, many consumers have
complained to the PURC and government about
irregularities in their electricity billing.

Some consumers blamed the anomalies on the
calibration of some new metres introduced by the
ECG.

In a statement, the government said it shared the
concerns of consumers. The statement said reports
that the anomalies are affecting the income and
operating costs for consumers are justified.
Government, therefore, ordered the PURC to probe
the anomalies.

Speaking to Joy News, the Public Affairs Director
of the PURC, Nana Yaa Jantuah said the commission
"through its monitoring exercise after visits to
specific areas and interrogation of bills by the
ECG came to a conclusion that there was an anomaly
in the initial implementation of the new billing
software."

A statement from the PURC listed the following as
some key issues that came to the fore during their
monitoring exercise:
ECG is billing Customers over irregular Periods
from 18 days - 43days which are in contravention
of the 28-day billing cycle for the Customer.
Some Customers are billed above the PURC approved
Service Charge and the Approved Tariff by the PURC
in December 2015
ECG is billing Customers who have been
disconnected over a period of six months with the
accumulated debt figure instead of their monthly
actual consumption
More than 62% of Complaints received by the PURC
in the first quarter of 2016 were on overbilling
as compared to the previous year (18%).
Customer Billing Data shows clearly that the ECG
has challenges with migrating customer information
from the old Billing System to the new Billing
System(Software)
Investigations also revealed that District
Frontline Staff who are entrusted to issue
customer Bills do not have the adequate technical
capacity to accurately use the new Billing
software, hence, the billing anomalies
customers are experiencing.
With the new Billing Software, the Billing Cycle
of some customers is over a period of four
years(2015-2019)
An Independent Billing Software Expert should be
appointed to audit the new billing System
currently being rolled out and present a report to
the Commission within 10 working days.

The ECG has been ordered to reconnect electricity
to any customer who has been wrongfully billed and
disconnected.

Also, the commission recommends that the ECG
trains frontline staff to enable them effectively
implement and use the new billing software and
correct all billing anomalies and re-bill all
consumers who have been affected.

Lastly, a sensitization of the public on the
implementation of the new billing system was
recommended by the PURC.

Nana Yaa Jantuah assured the public that the
Commission will make sure the ordered given to the
ECG are implemented.

Source - Myjoyonline.com

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