BTA Admin Ghanaian households and businesses will not face an increase in electricity and water tariffs for the rest of 2026, after the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) maintained existing utility tariffs for the fourth quarter.
The commission announced a 0% adjustment for both electricity and water tariffs, meaning the rates that applied during the third quarter will remain unchanged from October 1 to December 31, 2026.
The decision provides some relief for consumers heading into the final months of the year, particularly households and businesses already dealing with higher costs across transport, fuel and other essential goods and services.
Electricity tariffs remain unchanged
PURC said it had maintained electricity tariffs at their existing third-quarter levels after assessing a number of economic and operational factors affecting the cost of electricity generation.
Among the factors considered were:
- The Ghana cedi-US dollar exchange rate
- Inflation
- Natural gas prices
- The electricity generation mix
- The financial sustainability of utility providers
- The impact of tariffs on consumers
According to PURC, the Ghana cedi depreciated by 3.04% during the review period.
However, the weighted average cost of natural gas declined by 1.67%, helping to offset some of the pressure that could have resulted from changes in the exchange rate and other economic conditions.
The projected electricity generation mix also improved, with hydro generation expected to increase from 20.90% to 24.25%.
At the same time, the share of thermal generation is projected to decline from 79.10% to 75.75%.
PURC said the combined effect of these factors supported its decision to leave electricity tariffs unchanged.
Water tariffs also remain unchanged
Water consumers will also continue paying the existing third-quarter tariffs throughout the fourth quarter of 2026.
This means there will be no new PURC-approved tariff increase for water from October 1.
The commission said the decision forms part of its broader quarterly review process, which is designed to respond to changes in the operating environment while ensuring that utility providers remain financially viable.
What the 0% adjustment means for consumers
For ordinary consumers, the most important takeaway is straightforward:
There is no new electricity or water tariff increase for the final quarter of 2026.
However, a 0% tariff adjustment does not mean that every household’s bill will remain exactly the same.
A consumer’s actual bill can still change depending on how much electricity or water they use.
For example, if a household consumes more electricity during the Christmas period, its total bill could increase even though the approved tariff rate itself has not changed.
The same applies to water consumption.
What stays unchanged?
| Utility | Third-quarter tariff | Fourth-quarter adjustment | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity | Existing rate | 0% | No change |
| Water | Existing rate | 0% | No change |
Why did PURC keep tariffs unchanged?
PURC’s quarterly tariff reviews are designed to account for changes in factors that can affect the cost of providing utility services.
These include movements in the exchange rate, inflation, fuel and natural gas costs and changes in electricity generation.
For the fourth quarter, the commission applied an average annual inflation rate of 4.97%, compared with 3.43% in the previous quarter.
It also used a weighted average exchange rate of GH¢11.5646 to the US dollar in its calculations.
Despite the movement in the cedi, the lower weighted average cost of natural gas and the expected improvement in the hydro component of electricity generation helped influence the decision to maintain the existing electricity tariff.
PURC warns utility providers on service quality
While consumers will not see a new tariff increase, PURC said utility providers must continue to meet required service standards.
The commission said it would continue monitoring regulated utility companies and hold them accountable to regulatory standards and benchmarks.
The objective, according to PURC, is to ensure that consumers receive value for money and improved quality of service.
The commission also stressed that quarterly tariff reviews are intended to balance two objectives: protecting consumers from unnecessary tariff pressures while ensuring that utility providers have sufficient resources to deliver reliable services.
A little relief for households and businesses
The decision comes at a time when Ghanaian consumers are facing increases in several other areas of household and business expenditure.
Public transport fares, for example, are scheduled to increase by 8% from September 26, 2026, following an agreement between transport operators and the relevant authorities.
Against that background, the decision to maintain electricity and water tariffs at 0% adjustment means consumers will not have to deal with another PURC-approved utility tariff increase before the end of the year.
For businesses, keeping the tariff structure unchanged also provides some certainty when planning operating expenses for the final quarter.
However, actual electricity and water bills will continue to depend on individual consumption levels.
The bottom line
Ghanaian consumers can expect no new PURC tariff increase for electricity and water from October 1 through the end of 2026.
The commission has maintained the third-quarter rates after considering the exchange rate, inflation, natural gas costs and the expected electricity generation mix.
The next major question for consumers will be whether these conditions remain favourable enough to support stable utility tariffs when PURC conducts its next review.
For now, however, electricity and water tariffs remain unchanged for the rest of 2026.
