Ghana: PURC Begins Public Hearings On Utility Tariff Proposals

Ghana’s Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), the regulator for electricity and water utilities, has begun a nationwide public hearing on proposals submitted by utility companies as part of the 2025–2029 Multi-Year Tariff Review.

The public hearings, which began on Monday, September 8, 2025, in Accra, have already featured representation from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and the media. Utility companies, notably Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Enclave Power Company Limited, Volta River Authority (VRA), Northern Electricity Distribution Company Limited (NEDCo), Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo), Ghana National Gas Company Limited, and Ghana Water Company Limited, took their turn to present and defend their proposals.

Speaking at the stakeholder engagement on Monday, the Executive Secretary of the PURC, Dr. Shafic Suleman, stated that the aim of the public hearings is to enhance the relationship between utilities and consumers and to promote transparency, inclusiveness, and accountability in the tariff-setting process. Dr. Suleman noted that the hearings would provide a platform for utilities to explain and justify their tariff proposals to the public.

“The PURC will also be undertaking public hearings across the country to bring the utilities closer to the Ghanaian consumer as they explain and justify their proposals,” he said. “The goal of creating this platform is to promote transparency, inclusiveness, and accountability in tariff setting, while ensuring that the Commission’s decisions strike a balance between economic realities and social considerations.”

“This stakeholder engagement and the upcoming regional public hearings will help ensure that the outcome of the major tariff review is credible, sustainable, and in the best interest of our country,” he added.

Chairperson of the Stakeholder Committee at PURC, Nana Yaa Jantuah, emphasized that the tariff proposals from utility providers are key to setting the 2025–2030 tariff structure to support the delivery of quality services.

“The last major tariff review was conducted in 2022. The utilities made their submissions, and the PURC approved tariffs accordingly. Today, they are expected to account for how those funds were utilized, how it benefited the system and consumers, and how they plan to use any new tariffs that may be approved,” she said.

Source: https://energynewsafrica.com