Ghanaians will see a rise in electricity and water tariffs beginning 3 May, the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has announced.

Electricity prices are set to increase by an average of 14.75%, while water tariffs will go up by 4.02%. The changes come as part of the Commission’s routine quarterly tariff review, which aims to ensure financial stability for utility companies amid challenging economic conditions.

The PURC cited a range of factors behind the decision, including the depreciation of the Ghanaian cedi against the US dollar, inflation trends, and rising fuel costs—particularly natural gas. The current mix of hydro and thermal power generation was also noted as influencing the review.

A key driver of the increase is the need to recover GHS976 million in outstanding revenue from 2024. According to the Commission, 50% of that amount will be recovered in the current review, with the remainder to be spread across upcoming quarters.

In a statement on Friday, the PURC said the adjustments were necessary to prevent further under-recovery by utility providers, warning that failure to address the revenue gap could lead to service disruptions.

Despite the hikes, the Commission said it remained committed to protecting consumers from excessive costs while ensuring that service providers could continue operations.

Details of the revised tariffs are expected to be published in the government gazette and made available on the Commission’s website.

Source:TheDotNews