Eskom is preparing to kick off its national roll-out of the large-scale recoding operation that will enable prepaid meters to continue functioning beyond November 2024.

This was announced following the successful roll-out of a pilot project in Gauteng in which Eskom managed to recode 5 800 meters.

The large-scale roll-out will be phased out per residential area

Customers are asked to look out for information in their local community or in the media for updates regarding the recode in their area.

In a statement, Eskom says the current token identifier code will expire on November 24, 2024.

“After this date, all the standard transfer specification (STS)-compliant meters will stop accepting credit tokens.

“Recoding prepaid meters is not only an Eskom initiative, but it will be rolled out to all Eskom and municipal customers.”

Eskom says there was, however, a customer ‘Do It Yourself’ process, a step-by-step procedure that would be shared by them.

“Eskom has communicated with its approved vending agents to ensure that their systems are enabled for the do-it-yourself recoding. When the recoding starts in a particular area, customers in that area will get two key change tokens with their normal credit token purchases. Customers will know their recoding was done correctly when their purchased credit tokens load successfully.”

Eskom says there were no additional costs to clients for recoding their meters.

It urged residents to be wary of unscrupulous people using Eskom’s name to extort money.

Should anyone request payment for this service, customers were advised to report it to the police and Eskom on 08600 37566.

“Customers must take note that should they not recode their meter, the meter will become inactive after November 2024.”

The Tshwane metro is no different

The recoding had to be done because the number of unique numbers is running out under the current system.

The metro recently said it was upgrading its current systems to be compliant with new credit token numbers.

The cost of the upgrade amounted to R5.2m.

This will ensure that Tshwane’s Power-C Metering Africa and Landis + Gyr Suprima for prepayment electricity meters are upgraded.

The upgrade comes after Standard Transfer Specification Association director Don Taylor says millions of meters will be facing a crisis of non-functionality by 2024.

“We estimate that approximately 70 million pre-payment meters globally will be affected by 2024,” says Taylor.

“We, therefore, urge the industry to upgrade to STS Edition two immediately, start manufacturing new meters on the 2014 base date, and commence the TID roll-over programme as soon as possible.”