The Electricity Company of Ghana has installed 200 smart prepaid meters in Suame District as part of a pilot project aimed at enhancing customer service and reducing energy losses. This initiative will run for three months, with the possibility of expansion depending on its results. The new smart meters offer several features, including tracking energy consumption and facilitating online credit purchases.
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has successfully installed 200 smart prepaid meters in the Suame District, specifically at Asuoyeboa and Bantam Racecourse. This initiative, which is conducted by the Ashanti West Region of ECG, represents a pilot project anticipated to last three months, after which a decision regarding broader implementation throughout the district will be made.
Mr. George Amoah, the Ashanti West Regional General Manager of ECG, shared in an interview that the project is part of the Loss Reduction Project (LRP), a significant undertaking for the ECG. The installation includes 150 single-phase prepaid meters at Asuoyeboa and 50 three-phase meters at Bantama, with the aim of replacing non-smart, faulty, or postpaid meters at no cost to customers.
While the Suame District previously had smart meters installed in other areas, this pilot scheme seeks to provide a dedicated smart prepaid meter system specifically for Suame, which serves over 120,000 customers—the highest population among the eight districts in the Ashanti West Region. Mr. Amoah stressed the necessity of a dedicated system to satisfy the needs of local customers.
The newly installed smart meters record all activities, thereby facilitating the detection of any illegal connections. Furthermore, any tampering with the meters will result in them shutting off, preventing any unauthorized credit purchases. To ensure the efficacy of this pilot initiative, the ECG will closely monitor the performance of these installations.
In summary, the Electricity Company of Ghana’s installation of 200 smart prepaid meters in the Suame District marks a crucial step in improving customer service and reducing losses. The pilot project will serve as a model for a comprehensive rollout, ensuring better tracking of usage and enhancing customer convenience through features such as online credit purchases and real-time energy information. Mr. Amoah’s emphasis on the project’s importance is clear, underscoring the ECG’s commitment to customer satisfaction and the reduction of illegal connections. This initiative represents significant progress in modernizing energy management systems in the region.
Original Source: gna.org.gh
