The Director-General of the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Professor Alex Dodoo, has warned of the dangers associated with uncalibrated electricity meters currently in use nationwide.

These uncalibrated metres being utilised by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), he said, do not guarantee the protection of consumers and also are not able to hold industry accountable for fair charges. Calibration of meters ensures that energy usage is measured accurately, preventing overbilling or underbilling for consumers.

His comments come amid growing public concerns of overbilling, inconsistent power supply, and inefficiencies in the power-producing company’s services.

Speaking at a stakeholder conference organized by the International Electrotechnical Commission yesterday, May 20, in Accra, Prof. Dodoo revealed that many ECG meters in circulation have not been calibrated or verified by the Ghana Standards Authority, as has been mandated by the National Instrumentation Regulation NI2413.

“Very few of our meters have been calibrated and verified by the GSA. If the meter you are using has not been calibrated or verified by the Ghana Standards Authority, as required by NI2413, its accuracy is questionable. We simply cannot vouch for it,” he said.

Prof. Dodoo said meters not being calibrated put consumers at risk of under- and overbilling.

The NI2413 law mandates that all electricity meters in circulation must be calibrated and verified by the GSA to ensure accuracy, fair billing, and energy efficiency.

Additionally, the Weights and Measures Decree, NRCD 326 of 1975, empowers the GSA to oversee legal metrology, ensuring that measuring instruments used in trade and industry meet standardized accuracy requirements.

However, to resolve this, he mentioned that his outfit is currently working with the ECG and Public Utility and Regulatory Commission (PURC) to configure the millions of meters currently in circulation in the country.

“The law states it must be verified and calibrated. Thankfully, we are working with ECG and PURC to ensure that all the millions of meters in Ghana are properly calibrated and verified by the GSA,” he noted.

He also linked the issue to national development, emphasizing its importance in the government's ambition to implement a 24-hour economy.

“And I know it's a very troubling issue. But as we support the President in rolling out a 24-hour economy, it's important that we provide the quality infrastructure that will make the 24-hour economy succeed,” he concluded.