Tshwane metro begins smart meter replacement process

The Tshwane metro has started the process of replacing about 13,000 Peu smart meters with its own meters, reports Pretoria East Rekord.

This after last year’s North Gauteng High Court ruling which set aside the roll-out of smart meters that was administered by Peu Capital Partners’ subsidiary TUMS.

The court found the contract between the City and Peu Capital Partners and its subsidiary TUMS to be unlawful.

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MMC for utility services Abel Tau said about 13,000 smart meters for domestic (small power users), commercial and industrial customers had been installed by the time the roll-out was discontinued.

“We are taking over the administration of the 13,000 meters that were managed by TUMS.

“The process started on 1 March 2019, with the disconnection and removal of the Peu Smart Meters to replace them with our own meters.”

He said the metro has appointed a task team, constituted by employees from the departments of utility services and finance, technicians from ICT and a team from the service providers, to oversee the project of disconnecting and removing the TUMS meters.

“In the next four months, this team will be replacing and reconnecting the City’s meters, collecting consumer data and transaction history of all the removed meters and further implementing the alternative metering system.”

The metro has allocated about R85 million under Capex for the smooth and successful takeover of TUMS meters.

“We are working with service providers as we endeavour to ensure that interruptions to the service, as a result of disconnection and removal of the Peu meters, are minimal.

“We are hopeful that the City will be able to complete the process within the planned four months period,” said Tau.

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