Power Systems Specialist Dr. Elikplim Kwabla Apetorgbor has called for the mass deployment of intelligent prepaid meters to address inefficiencies in the Electricity Company of Ghana’s (ECG) revenue collection.
According to Dr. Apetorgbor, prepaid meters ensure that consumers pay for electricity before using it—similar to how mobile phone users purchase airtime before accessing telecom services.
In his paper titled “Critical Analysis of the Proposal to Privatize ECG’s Billing and Collection Services,” he argues that privatizing ECG’s billing and collection operations will not resolve the company’s core financial challenges.
He identified ECG’s primary revenue collection issues as:Technical and commercial losses due to power theft, illegal connections, and meter tampering; Billing inefficiencies, where estimated bills lead to disputes and non-payment and Collection challenges, particularly in enforcing payments from high-profile consumers, including government institutions.
“Privatizing billing and collection does not directly address these underlying issues,” he stated. “If enforcement mechanisms remain weak, a private firm will face the same challenges as ECG.”
Dr. Apetorgbor criticized the government’s approach to managing the energy sector, stating that for the past eight years, crisis management has relied on short-term solutions rather than forward-thinking, technology-driven strategies.
Why Intelligent Prepaid Meters
Rather than privatization, he advocated for the widespread adoption of intelligent prepaid meters to: Ensure 100% upfront revenue collection, eliminating bad debts and revenue losses; Reduce billing inefficiencies and disputes by providing accurate, real-time consumption tracking; Cut operational costs, as the system removes the need for meter readers and revenue collectors, lowering payroll and administrative expenses and Improve customer experience and transparency, allowing consumers to monitor their electricity usage in real-time, avoid billing surprises, and budget effectively.
“This model is similar to how telecom companies operate,” he explained. “They do not chase customers for payments because users must pay before accessing services. ECG can achieve the same efficiency with intelligent prepaid meters.”
Dr. Apetorgbor emphasized that implementing this system would enhance energy accountability, reduce corruption risks, and create a more financially sustainable electricity sector.
Source: ghextractives.com