Metro busy replacing old prepaid electricity meters

The City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) is phasing out old electricity meters and replacing them with new technologically advanced prepaid meters to clamp down on illegal electricity connections, electricity theft and meter tampering.

“The new prepaid meters also come with great convenience to the customer because it limits consumption to the value of what the customer has loaded into the meter, allowing for better household budgeting and planning,” explained CoE spokesperson Zweli Dlamini.

“These meters have a customer interphase unit, commonly referred to as a keypad, to enable communication between the user and the meter. The keypad displays the available credit on the meter at the point it was last connected and updated.

“The new unit is so user-friendly that it plugs into any normal socket in the house for easy access to the customer, while the pre-payment meter is installed outside the house.”

Dlamini said the rollout of the pre-payment meters is done through an electrical meter management contractor allocated to specific areas.

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The contractors will install the new meters and ensure they are operational. They will educate the customer on the basic functions of the keypad and how to reload the meter.

The complete process of swapping the meters takes between 30 minutes and an hour.

“During this time, there will be no electricity. However, as soon as the process is complete, electricity will be immediately restored. The meter comes with 40 units pre-loaded, which will be debited with the first purchase of electricity.

“There is no difference between the approved rates for a conventional or pre-payment meter. Both meters are calibrated to exactly the same SANS specification,” explained Dlamini.

He said all conventional meters would be replaced. Should a customer find it inconvenient to replace the meter when the contractor is on-site, they can propose a different date during office hours within seven days of the initial contact, and the team will replace the meter.

If a customer refuses to let the contractor do the replacement after adequate opportunity is given, the electricity supply will be disconnected and a notice, according to the city’s approved Schedule of Tariffs, issued.

For customers’ safety, the contractors have appointment letters to hand to the customers at the point of contact, outlining the visit’s purpose and the project.

However, unconvinced customers can call these numbers to verify the identity of contractors:

• ZRW Mechanica – 010 449 3645 for Edenvale, Kempton Park, Thembisa
• Enyane Solutions – 011 873 4042 for Benoni, Brakpan, Nigel, Springs
• EMC Associates – 010 023 3411 for Alberton, Boksburg, Germiston

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