Power Distribution Services (PDS) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) have urged public calm over fears of looming power outages due to debts owed power producers.

In a joint statement, the two institutions sought to dispel the threat by the Chamber of Independent Power Producers and Bulk Consumers (CIPDIB) that the debt could force its members to stop providing power to the distributors.

“It will be recalled that on March 1^st 2019, ECG, with support from of Government and other key state institutions successfully handed over its distribution and retail business to the PDS with the view improving efficiency into the power distribution sector.

“We wish to assure the general public that ECG, PDS and the IPPs are maintaining very good working relations during this transition period and are working through various challenges which are not uncommon in such transitional arrangements,” the joint statement, published in full below, explained.

CIPDIB last week warned of possible power outages if PDS failed to pay debts owed IPPs within one week.

A statement issued and signed by the Chief Executive Officer of CIPDIB, Elikplim Kwabla Apetorgbor, had urged the government through the Ministry of Energy to compel PDS to expressly pay all accumulated invoices to the IPPs within the seven days.

The statement further urged the government to not only make PDS pay its debts to the IPPs but also be made to pay interest on all overdue invoices which the IPPs could have profitably utilised.

The Director of Public Relations at the Power Distribution Service (PDS) had earlier denied claims the service owes Independent Power Producers huge sums for power supplied.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, William Boateng also denied claims that PDS has failed to honour its financial obligations to the IPPs since it took over the distribution of power from the Electricity Company of Ghana in March 2019.