The “Cockcrow Operation” introduced by the Northern Electricity Distribution Company Limited (NEDCo) where its officials inspect meters at dawn has started yielding results, Mr. John Okine Yamoah, Acting Managing Director of NEDCo has said.
Mr. Yamoah said the initiative had significantly reduced losses compared to last yea.
He emphasised that, “the loss figure we have now is far lower than last year showing the exercise is making a great impact.”
He said because of the initiative, NEDCo was on track to meeting its target for reducing distribution losses.
He added: “Our target for this year was 27.13 per cent. As of the end of August, we stood at 27.98%. For the first time in five years, it is likely we will achieve our loss reduction target.”
He said this while briefing Members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Mines and Energy in Tamale on NEDCo’s operations, challenges, and ongoing measures to improve power distribution.
Members of the Committee visited the NEDCo as part of their nationwide tour of energy installations aimed at identifying challenges in the sector and finding ways Parliament could provide legislative and budgetary support to address them.
Mr. Yamoah said the Cockcrow Operation was introduced in response to power theft where some customers illegally connected to the grid at night and disconnected during the day to avoid detection.
As part of the operation, NEDCo deploys its officers to customers’ premises at dawn to inspect meters to detect illegal connections.
The NEDCo serves about 1.29 million customers and covers 64% of the country’s landmass across Northern, Upper East, Upper West, North East, Savannah, Bono East, Bono, Ahafo and parts of Oti, Western North, and Ashanti Regions.
NEDCo’s share of the regulated market is 11% compared to Electricity Company of Ghana’s 87%.
Tamale and its surrounding areas alone account for 360,000 customers representing 26.7% of NEDCo’s customer base with energy consumption of 35.15%
However, the area also records the highest energy loss of 40.84% hence, the Cockcrow Operation.
Mr Yamoah appealed to the Committee to help in securing loans and grants to expand NEDCo’s infrastructure.
He said NEDCo had independently funded two substations costing about $13.4 million and GH₵26 million from its internally generated funds.
He, however, emphasised need for favourable financing from development partners such as African Development Bank, and KfW of Germany.
Mr. Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, Chairman, Parliamentary Select Committee on Mines and Energy, who was accompanied by 11 other Members of the Committee, described the power theft situation as nation-wrecking and urged the citizenry to desist from it as NEDCo could not survive without revenue from bill payments.
He assured NEDCo of the Committee’s support, saying, “When we return to Parliament, we will look at NEDCo’s books, meet with the Minister for Energy, and the Minister for Finance to see how best we can support them. Money is needed for transformers, substations, and other facilities in their operational areas.”
He also commended the NEDCo for its contributions to power supply in northern Ghana despite limited resources.
GNA
