The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission held its maiden investment hearing for utility providers from Monday, July 7 to Thursday July 10, 2025, at the Alisa Hotel in Accra North Ridge. This is part of the Commission’s regulatory reform efforts to ensure a detailed and in-depth review of the utility providers’ investments for the 2025 - 2030 major tariff review process.
The Executive Secretary, Dr. Shafic Suleman, during his opening remarks, explained that the investment hearing is Unique and novel, the first of its kind in Ghana, aimed at complementing the Commission’s effort to ensure transparency in its process. The Commission held the investment hearing with key utility service providers as part of its regulatory reform agenda which is aimed at enhancing transparency and ensuring prudent capital expenditure ahead of the 2025-2030 major tariff review process.
Dr. Shafic Suleman explained that the hearing forms a critical part of the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO) process. This investment hearing brought together major stakeholders, including the Volta River Authority (VRA), Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo), Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo), Ghana Water Limited (GWL), and Enclave Power Company (EPC) to present their finalised investment plans to the Commission.
“This started in February 2025, where we had the preliminary investment hearing from all the utilities. They came to make presentations to us. We looked at their investment plans, advised them where there were issues, and today they are making their final investment plans presentation to the Commission,” Dr. Suleman added. He stated that the process began earlier in the year and has involved several stages of evaluation and feedback, as a basis to establish the regulated asset base, and identify critical investments needed in the utility space for the next three years, ensuring that, only justifiable expenditures are factored into future tariff adjustments.
According to Dr. Suleman, the investment hearing forms part of PURC’s broader reforms to deepen oversight in Ghana’s utility sector. By carefully evaluating investment proposals before approving tariff adjustments, the Commission hopes to protect consumer interests while promoting sector sustainability.
The panel was chaired by Prof. Ebenezer Bugri Anarfo, Commissioner, and Chairperson of the Investment Hearing Panel, who led the assessment, and cross-examination of the proposed investments to ensure alignment with national regulatory benchmarks. The other Panel Members with expertise and experience from electricity, Water, Gas, Academia, Media, and political Economy, included Hon. Nana Yaa Jantuah, Commissioner, Member of Technical Committee; Dr. Humphrey Darke, Commissioner, and Member of the Technical Committee; Mr. James Demitrus, Commissioner, and Lead Examiner for Electricity Distribution; Dr. Shafic Suleman, Commissioner, and Executive Secretary of PURC; Ing. Victor Sunu Attah, Member of the Technical Committee, and Lead Examiner for Gas; Ing. Danladi Bukari, Member of the Technical Committee, and Lead Examiner for Electricity Distribution, Ing. Samuel Sarpong, External Expert, and Lead Examiner for Electricity Transmission; Ing. Kofi Ellis, External Expert, and Lead Examiner for Electricity Generation; and Ing. Senyo Amengor, External Expert, and Lead Examiner for Water Services.
The Board Chairman, Hon Moses Asaga, in his concluding remarks, emphasised the importance of this investment hearing and a thorough review process, which encouraged open discussion, with various team members from the Utility Service Providers.
Hon Asaga indicated that the Commission was particularly focused on investment proposals and sector developments, with discussions on guiding consumer, utility, and investor interests, and the Utility sector sustainability. The Commission will later provide a final decision on admitted investments. Team members were also encouraged to coordinate and address questions effectively. The meeting discussed investment guidelines and planning for the upcoming rate control period from 2025 to 2030.
“The Commission shared guidelines for investment submissions in 2024, which utilities will use to plan and justify their investment proposals. The panel will submit a report to the Commission detailing recommended investments and those not recommended, for the Commission to communicate interim positions. The meeting also addressed the need for additional information submissions and clarified the process for internal decision-making”, Hon Asaga added.
