ECG Discovers GH¢400,000 power theft at hostel facility

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has cut power to a hostel at South Odorkor in Accra, after it found the facility has been stealing power for the past three years, to the tune of GH₵400,000 through metre bypassing and illegal power usage.

Dr Mark Owusu-Ansah, Revenue Protection Manager for ECG’s Accra West Region, told media that the illegality was discovered when a team of the company’s field personnel visited facilities to check metre installations.

ECG, following the expiration of its moratorium to customers, recently introduced an operation dubbed ‘Visibility’ that features the deployment of a special national revenue taskforce and ECG’s Revenue Protection Unit, along with police assistance, to visit homes to inspect and audit electricity metres.

The hostel had eight fridges, 15 fans, microwaves, electric stoves, pressing irons, kettles, and rice cookers.

Dr Owusu-Ansah explained that despite having four meters installed at the facility, the hostel had bypassed all of them with a device specifically designed for that purpose.

“The team discovered that the hostel had configured contactors in a room which enabled them to bypass our meters and not pay for electricity for three years,” he said.

Subsequent interactions with the hostel management, he added, revealed that it was an intentional attempt to rob the ECG. The facility’s owner has consequently been charged with the amount of power allegedly used illegally during the period.

In light of this, ECG’s Accra West General Manager, Ebenezer Ghunney, has warned customers not to engage in activities that would deprive ECG of revenue.

He stated that the company had renewed its efforts to inspect all metres installed in the region in order to uncover illegal power theft.

Source: Energy Ghana