The Ashanti South Region of the Electricity Company of Ghana has initiated the installation of smart prepaid meters with sophisticated features to detect illegal tampering of power flow.

Under the Loss Reduction Project, postpaid meters are being replaced to address illegal power consumption and revenue leakages.

The project is expected to make ECG meters easily accessible to reduce the stress of consumers, which has been a long-standing challenge.

The scarcity of electricity meters plagues ECG service centres, with consistent queues of consumers.

Despite this stress, the Ashanti South Region business unit of the ECG has also observed high levels of illegal power consumption among customers.

In a bid to address the persistent power theft and meter shortages, the company has launched the Loss Reduction Project.

The project aims to eliminate the widespread issue of power theft, ensuring that the company effectively delivers on its mandate.

With the introduction of cutting-edge technology, ECG is replacing old prepaid meters with smart prepaid meters with advanced features to detect illegal connections and power theft.

The new meters are designed with multiple tamper-proof components that automatically cut off the power supply if any interference is detected.

The Project Manager of the Loss Reduction Project, Tamara Asumani Wiafe, indicated ECG’s private partnership will provide an adequate supply of meters to provide reliable service to its customers.

“Customers can easily buy with the mobile app. The mater will police the power consumption, and ensure convenient services for consumers. In the past, we had issues with a shortage of meters.

“We have gone into a fruitful deal with private sector participation in enhancing meter supplies. And bringing in the private partners will ensure efficiency. We won't have shortages again,” she said

The ECG Ashanti South Region business unit serves the New Edubiase, Asokwa, Bekwai, Dunkwa, Manso Nkwanta, New Edubiase and Obuasi districts.

In Asokwa district, over 100,000 meters will be installed for free, as part of the first phase of the rollout.

General Manager of ECG Ashanti South, Engineer Daniel Mensah Asare, says the intervention will protect the company’s revenue from the impact of power theft.

“This will reduce system losses drastically. To be able to deliver the mandate and services we are required of. Every now and then, we try to introduce technology to improve our services. With these new technologies, we are getting there. With the features the meter has it will decline issues of middlemen and perpetrators of power theft,” he said.