City Power’s smart meter technology was praised by the Local Government and Traditional Affairs Minister, David van Rooyen, as a better alternative to managing electricity usage in the country’s municipalities.
Tens of thousands of smart meters have already been installed in the City of Johannesburg. Soon after initial installations, however, numerous residents claimed they were being charged inflated rates due to estimations. The utility said these were merely teething problems due to the meter installation’s magnitude, and that it is inevitable that the implementation of a project of this scale would experience these issues.
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But while opening the 65th Convention of the Association of Municipal electricity Utilities (Ameu) on 3 October, Van Rooyen praised smart meters as a tool to better manage electricity usage. “The electricity sector should look outside for solutions to the enormous challenges confronting the industry.
“The use of smart meters should be looked at in order to help us to better manage electricity usage. Technology is part of our everyday lives and we should use it to better service our people.”
The South African Local Government Association’s Nhlanhla Ngidi, outgoing Ameu president and City Power managing director Sicelo Xulu and incoming Ameu president, Moferefere Tshabalala agreed that the electricity sector faced revenue collection issues and needed better management of its supply.
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Tshabalala also said bigger municipalities should assist smaller ones to adopt new ways to manage their electricity while generating new sources of energy.
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