In September 2018, Water. Desalination + reuse (Faversham House) reported that Ghana's utilities regulator PURC had required Ghana Water Company (GWCL) to return GHS 14 million (US$2.8 million) to customers. GWCL had billed for water it did not supply from 15 March to 15 September 2018. The 60,000 m³/day Teshie-Nungua desalination plant had been idle since 1 January 2018, after GWCL fell behind on payments under its 25-year offtake agreement with Befesa. GWCL also owed GHS 542,938 in compensation, settled through a 10.08 per cent tariff cut.
The report showed the consequences when a utility cannot carry the offtake obligations of a long-term desalination contract and the plant stands idle.