About 3m smart prepaid meters malfunctioning – John Jinapor

Energy Minister-designate John Abdulai Jinapor has disclosed that nearly three million smart prepaid meters across the country are malfunctioning, creating significant challenges for electricity consumers.

During his vetting by Parliament’s Appointments Committee on January 13, 2025, Mr. Jinapor revealed that at least 2.9 million meters require immediate replacement to address the current demand in the market.

He also expressed concerns over the limited availability of meters, noting the frustrations faced by customers due to delays and difficulties in acquiring replacements.

He underscored the need for a structured approach to improve supply and ensure customers have access to functional meters, pledging to tackle the issue head-on if approved as Energy Minister.

“The ideal way is to get prepared meters, especially smart meters that can mimic all the requirements you need. My meeting with ECG indicates that they have about 5.2 million meters and 4.8 are active. About 3 million of them are not working properly.

“They would need to change a minimum of 2.9 million meters in order to satisfy the market. People want meters, but they are not able to get it. Technology is advancing, so we’re exploring the possibility of selling the meters, letting people buy the meters.”