ECG and GWCL want 148% and 334% tariffs increment in 2022

The  Electricity Company of Ghana is calling for an upward adjustment of tariffs by 148% for 2022 and with a 7.6% average adjustment between the periods of 2023 to 2026.

The ECG explains that the sharp proposed increment is due to the gap between the actual cost recovery tariff and PURC-approved tariffs as well as the cost of completed projects.

Another Utility service provider, the Ghana Water Company is also proposing an increment in its tariffs to be able to at least recover its costs.

These are contained in tariff proposals presented to the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) by the two companies.

The two utility companies in the report raised concerns about the continuous refusal of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission to fix tariffs in line with the cost of production.

For both companies, the situation has affected their operations, and it is essential that the problem is rectified.

To remedy the situation, the Electricity Company of Ghana is proposing a 148% increment on distribution service charge (1) for 2022, which is the rate for electricity distribution companies to recover the cost of distribution network operations.

“The financial sustainability of the Electricity Company of Ghana is important as it impacts the entire energy sector. With the huge investment needs facing the distribution industry over the next five years, it is expected that the proposed tariff increases would inevitably be approved to sustain efficient and reliable electricity service.”

“Overall, this tariff proposal indicates a high increase (148%) in the year 2022 compared with the subsequent years’ increases of an average of 7.6%. This high increase in 2022 is largely attributable to the cost of investment projects; the gap that has developed over the years between the actual cost recovery tariff and the PURC approved tariffs; the continual application of the prevailing tariff (which was a 14% reduction) beyond the stipulated regulatory period (2019-2020); and the effect of macroeconomic factors,” ECG said in its 55-page tariff proposal document forwarded to the PURC 

ECG wants an increment of 28.4% in 2022 for Distribution Service Charge (2) which is the rate electricity distribution companies recover distribution losses. For this set of charges, there is a proposal for an average increment of 2% from 2023 to 2026.

For the Ghana Water Company Limited, management bemoaned the failure of PURC to apply an automatic tariff adjustment formula.

The GWCL argues that while the average tariff per cubic metre in 2019 was 1.27 USD, the same was reduced to USD 1.13 as a result of cedi depreciation.

It argues that this has affected its ability to carry out repairs and replacements of aged and obsolete equipment and pipelines.

For the GWCL, the current domestic tariff of GH¢3.29 per cubic metre to consumers within 0 to 5 cubic metres is less than what the poor in rural areas pay, which is about 10 cedis.

To justify its case for the increment, the Ghana Water Company Limited says it is saddled with a monthly loan payment of 7.93 million dollars which is 47.15% of its average monthly revenue.

The GWCL says it has no option but to recover the loans through tariffs while adding that the tariff increments are largely driven by exchange rate depreciation, a paradigm shift in government economic policies.

Author