As part of plans to face out the none smart prepaid meters in the Western Region, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has begun a mass replacement exercise to install the newly introduced smart prepayment meters.

The mass replacement exercise is currently concentrating on Effiakuma in the Effia-Kwesimintim Municipal Assembly (EKMA) due to the frequent losses the company incurs through illegal connections coupled with the commercial nature of the area.

This was made known by Mr. Benjamin Quarcoo, Western Regional Public Relations Officer (PRO) of ECG in an interview.

He explained that majority of the prepaid meters in the Sekondi-Takoradi-Agona areas are not smart, however, new applicants are given the new smart meters while customers whose meters have developed faults and needs replacement are given the new smart meters.

He pointed out that the prepayment meters were introduced to minimize the losses in the system.

According to him, electronic meters work within a particular period of time after which they become outmoded hence, the need to replace them and for that matter, the replacement process would be extended to cover the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) and the Ahanta West Municipal Assembly (AWMA) gradually.

He enlightened that the new smart meters come with Mobile Application (ECG Mobile App) which can be used to make payment on all postpaid metered accounts and selected smart prepayment meters in the system.

He was of the hope that the new smart meters would enable the company clamp down on customers who tempers with the meters and engage in all forms of illegality on the meters since he could monitor and trace the meters from his office.