Roll-out of Tshwane’s new pre-paid meters continues

The metro has encouraged residents to allow the rolling out of the new smart pre-paid meters project, which started in February, aimed at improving the metro’s revenue collection.

MMC for utility services and regional operations and co-ordination Phillip Nel said more than 5 656 meters have been installed with a further 4 480 to be installed by the end of the 2020/21 financial year.

“We are accelerating delivery and are confident the teams should have reached the total target of 10 136 by the end of July.”

He however said he was hoping that by the end of June, they would have reached their target.

Nel said the meters were being installed for people who applied.

“We also have the electricity-for-all-programme in which we are looking at installing another 700 meters before the end of the financial year.”

He said through this campaign, 4 817 pre-paid meters to new customers in both formal and informal areas had been installed.

“We are also looking forward to the future expansion of this project in the new financial year, in order to achieve the goal of connecting all consumers via pre-paid metering systems.”

Nel said the metro often had some customers who wanted the meters and some who did not.

“A large portion of the meters are currently being installed on customers with historical issues in their payment of electricity and the meters are being installed to improve revenue collection on those accounts.”

He said, however, that there were different installation programmes, that residents needed to be aware of.

“Not all of the meters are being installed for arrear customers or customers who paid for them. Some are just being installed as part of the city’s move to all residents having smart pre-paid meters.

“We’re hoping to do more as the budget becomes available. Ideally, we would spend a huge amount of money and move everyone across to the smart pre-paid meters in one go, but the city’s finances don’t allow for that. So we are converting as many meters as we have budgeted for each year.”

Nel thanked residents who had worked with appointed contractors.

“We realise no project of this scale goes seamlessly, however, our teams are working hard to assist and minimise any difficulties residents may experience.”

He said the appointed contractors had managed to almost eliminate the backlog of 1 600 paid-for applications for pre-paid meters, with only 130 meters outstanding due to problems with access for replacement.

The roll-out of smart pre-paid electricity meters to residents was the metro’s aim to stabilise the city’s finances.

Tshwane mayor Randall Williams said the meters were “an exciting step towards realising the city’s adoption of smart, resident-focused technology, that empowers and enables our customers”.

He said the project would run until the end of this financial year, 30 June.

“It will continue into the next financial year in line with the available budget.”

The phase includes installing more than 24 000 meters that will be replaced city-wide at different households.

“Residents will be notified through pamphlets, seven days prior to the scheduled installation. Residents will also be presented with user manuals on how to use the keypad/meter once the installation has been completed.”

Williams said the newly installed pre-paid meters would be pre-loaded with 5kWh credit and consumers were encouraged to load more units onto the new meter for their own household usage.

He said installation technicians would have permits with their full identification details and contact information.

“The technicians will be compliant with Covid-19 regulations.”