The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), through its Northern Regional Office, has facilitated the repair, replacement and installation of thirty-one (31) electricity transformers in twenty-six (26) communities across the Northern Region. This was done in collaboration with the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo). The intervention, which is driven by the Commission’s periodic monitoring of electricity service delivery and its responsiveness to consumer complaints, seeks to improve power supply reliability and minimise prolonged outages affecting households, businesses and other electricity consumers.
Residents and business owners in the affected communities had endured unreliable electricity supply over a period of three months thereby posing a significant challenge, and disrupting daily economic activities and livelihoods of consumers in the affected communities. Through sustained engagement with NEDCo, the Commission has helped to address transformer-related challenges, restoring electricity supply to thousands of consumers and reinforcing its commitment to promoting reliable, efficient, and quality utility services.
Through periodic monitoring, the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has facilitated the Repair, Replacement, and Injection of thirty-one (31) energy transformers in twenty-six (26) communities across the region to improve power supply reliability.
The intervention forms part of PURC’s mandate to protect consumers' interests by ensuring they receive quality service delivery from utility service providers. The Northern Regional Office has always collaborated with NEDCo to ensure that transformer-related complaints are addressed within the shortest possible time.
Fourteen transformers were replaced in Kootingli, Bunglung, Bimbila, Kasuliyili, Sang, while eleven (11) faulty transformers were repaired in Dungu, Nyeko, Kete-Krachi, Monkra, Tinkpanglanyili and other communities. Six (6) new transformers were installed in Kootingli, Diare and Kasuliyili.
Electricity supply to some of these areas had been interrupted for over two weeks while others slept in darkness for as long as a fortnight as a result of damaged transformers.
The total estimated number of consumers who benefitted from these interventions in the twenty-six (26) communities was one hundred and thirty-seven thousand (137,000), while the estimated cost for the repairs and replacements of the thirty-one (31) transformers was approximately GHS980,000.00.
The Commission continues to ensure stable electricity supply in those communities while admonishing customers in the beneficiary communities to regularly pay their electricity bills and desist from illegal connection activities