Where ECG prepaid balance actually lives
Prepaid credit is stored on the meter, not in your MoMo wallet. The number you trust for “will the lights stay on?” is the meter LCD (or the indoor CIU on split meters). Online and USSD checks query ECG’s vend system and are useful when you cannot reach the meter — they are not a second wallet.
Method 1 — Read the meter (most accurate)
- Stand in front of the prepaid meter or the Customer Interface Unit (CIU) keypad.
- Wake the display (any key, or the blue/enter key on many Hexing and Itron units).
- Look for remaining credit in GHS and/or remaining kWh. Some screens cycle: credit → kWh → date → meter number.
If the house uses a split meter, the box on the pole may show supply status while the CIU in the room shows credit. Enter tokens on the CIU, not on the pole unit, unless ECG installed a keypad on the meter itself.
Method 2 — Ewale USSD
Dial *714*22# → Utilities → ECG Prepaid → Check Balance → enter meter number. Use this when you are not at home, or you are buying for a relative and need a quick remaining-credit check before you top up.
Method 3 — Last SMS and Power App
- Token SMS / receipt: shows units just purchased, not remaining credit after days of use.
- ECG Power App: may show a balance after you add the meter; it still trails the LCD if the meter has been used since the last sync.
- ECG *226#: official menu; availability follows ECG’s USSD uptime.
Credit vs kWh vs “days left”
Meters do not promise days remaining. A fridge-heavy house burns GH₵50 faster than a one-room with LED bulbs. If credit hits zero, supply disconnects until you load a new token — unlike postpaid, there is no monthly bill to “check” first.