New Year Brings Higher Utility Bills: Electricity Up 9.86%, Water Up 15.92% Starting Today
Ghanaians are starting 2026 with increased costs for electricity and water as new tariffs approved by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) take effect today, January 1, 2026.
Electricity prices will rise by 9.86% for all customers—homes, businesses, and industries alike. Water tariffs will go up by a steeper 15.92%across all categories.
These changes are part of a major five-year plan (2026–2030) under PURC’s Multi-Year Tariff Review. The goal is to help utility companies like the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Ghana Water Company invest in better services while keeping prices fair for consumers.
The decision came after months of meetings with stakeholders, public hearings across regions, and careful reviews of what utilities need to operate.
Key reasons for the increases include:
– A shift in how electricity is produced: More reliance on thermal power (up to 78.79%) and less on hydro (down to 20.90%), which costs more because of fuel prices.
– Economic factors like an expected exchange rate of about GH₵12.01 to $1 and inflation around 8%.
– Higher costs for natural gas used in power plants.
The rates will stay fixed for the five years but get checked and possibly adjusted every three months for things like currency changes, inflation, or fuel costs that utilities can’t control.
For the first time, the plan also covers the cost of supplying electricity to remote island communities through mini-grids, helping more people get reliable power.
While the hikes may strain budgets amid rising living costs, PURC says they are needed for better service quality and long-term reliability. Many Ghanaians have expressed concerns, but the Commission promises to keep watching utilities closely to ensure good value.
