Reduction in Ghana electricity tariffs being considered

Ghana -- The Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Akoto Osei, has confirmed that the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) would reduce electricity tariffs by April this year.

He said this could come about if the water level in the Akosombo Dam, rises to the expected level. The cost of electricity was currently high, because the Akosombo Dam, generates just 40 per cent of its capaciy, while the remaining 60 per cent is produced at the Aboadze thermal plant which runs on oil.

Dr Osei, made the confirmation at the Central Regional ‘Forum on the 2004 Budget’ at Cape Coast.

He said water tariff, was also likely to go down, as the current high tariff, could be attributed to the high cost of the electricity used for water production.

The Minister was reacting to questions raised as to what the government was doing to ease workers plight, especially, about the high cost of utilities.

Accra Mail