Electricity Meter Shortage Being Addressed; More Units to Reach Consumers Soon – Jinapor

Energy and Green Transition Minister John Jinapor has assured Parliament that the ongoing electricity meter shortage in Ghana is being resolved, with additional units set to reach consumers in the coming weeks.

Speaking on Monday, March 16, Jinapor explained that the shortage arose from a combination of oversubscribed contracts and funding constraints.

“When we assumed office in 2024, the ECG board had approved about GHS 3 billion for contracts, but more than GHS 9 billion had already been awarded, including for meter supply,” he said, noting that this created a bottleneck in meter delivery.

Jinapor also cited the cash waterfall mechanism, which determines the allocation of revenue received by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), as a contributing factor.

“The revenue ECG received as part of its cash waterfall allocation was not enough for some meter manufacturers to meet demand,” he explained.

To address the issue, the Ministry has increased ECG’s monthly allocation from GHS 300 million to GHS 360 million and linked it to a percentage of the utility’s total revenue collection. The move incentivizes the company to boost collections, as higher revenue directly increases the allocation.

“If ECG wants to collect more than GHS 360 million, they have to work harder—because the more they collect, the more funding they get,” Jinapor said.

The Minister reassured the public that meters are now entering the system and that distribution will accelerate, while emphasizing a strategic approach to avoid wastage.

“We are on course, and the meters will be made available,” he concluded.