Ghana electricity and water tariffs will remain unchanged from October 1 to December 31, 2026, after the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) approved a zero per cent adjustment for the final quarter of the year.
The decision means households and businesses will continue paying the rates introduced during the third quarter, despite a weaker cedi and higher inflation increasing pressure on utility operating costs.
“The existing electricity and water tariffs of the third quarter have not changed, but remain the same in the fourth quarter,” the Commission said.
PURC’s Director of Research and Corporate Affairs, Dr Eric Obutey, confirmed that consumers would face no increase in either electricity or water charges during the period.
Lower Gas Costs Offset Cedi Depreciation
The tariff freeze follows PURC’s assessment of four major variables: the exchange rate, inflation, natural gas prices and the projected electricity generation mix.
For the fourth quarter, the Commission applied a weighted average exchange rate of GH¢11.5646 to the US dollar, compared with GH¢11.2228 in the preceding quarter.
That represents a 3.04% depreciation in the exchange rate used for the review.
The average annual inflation rate also increased from 3.43% to 4.97%, adding pressure to costs such as maintenance, transport and imported equipment.
But natural gas became cheaper.
PURC reduced the weighted average cost of gas from US$7.9708 to US$7.8379 per million British thermal units, a decline of 1.67%.
More Hydropower Helps Contain Electricity Costs
The projected contribution from hydroelectric generation also improved, helping to offset higher costs elsewhere.
Hydro’s share of electricity generation is expected to rise from 20.90% in the third quarter to 24.25% in the fourth.
Thermal generation, meanwhile, is projected to decline from 79.10% to 75.75%.
That shift matters because thermal plants rely heavily on fuel whose cost can be affected by international prices and exchange-rate movements.
“The overall impact of the above factors of hydro-thermal generation mix, Ghana cedi-US dollar exchange rate, inflation rate and natural gas price on electricity tariff determination led the Commission to arrive at a decision not to adjust electricity tariffs for the fourth quarter of 2026.” - PURC
Consumers Get Relief, but Utility Losses Remain a Concern
The decision offers some predictability for manufacturers, retailers and households already dealing with higher transport and other living costs.
It does not mean every customer’s bill will remain identical. Actual payments will still depend on consumption and any outstanding balances.
The freeze also leaves utility companies under pressure to improve efficiency.
According to Dr Obutey, Ghana Water Company’s non-revenue water has declined from more than 50% to about 46% to 47%, while Electricity Company of Ghana’s total losses have fallen from above 30% to approximately 26% to 27%.
Those figures indicate progress, but substantial volumes of electricity and treated water still fail to generate revenue.
PURC says it will continue monitoring service providers against established standards.
The unchanged tariffs give consumers a three-month break from further regulated utility price adjustments. Whether that stability continues into 2027 will depend on fuel costs, the cedi, inflation and the availability of hydropower when the Commission conducts its next review.
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