City Power confident customers will meet prepaid meter upgrade deadline! City Power, the electricity distribution company in Johannesburg, remains confident that the city’s residents will meet the upcoming deadline for upgrading prepaid electricity meter boxes.
The deadline for this essential upgrade is Sunday midnight, and although there have been some challenges, City Power reports significant progress.
Deadline Approaching for Meter Box Upgrades
South African prepaid electricity users have been advised that they must upgrade their meter boxes by this Sunday. This is part of an effort by the utility to standardize and improve the reliability of the electricity metering system across the country.
The meter upgrades are being implemented to accommodate new technology, enhance billing accuracy, and prevent fraud.
As the deadline approaches, many customers are rushing to ensure their systems are upgraded in time. Some have turned up in person at Eskom and municipal offices to complete the process.
City Power, however, has been encouraging residents to take a simpler route: purchasing tokens from authorized vendors. When purchased, these tokens automatically trigger the necessary upgrades to the existing prepaid meters.
Significant Progress on Upgrades
City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena provided an update on the progress of the meter box upgrades, stating that over 99% of the vending prepaid meters have already been successfully upgraded. However, there remain a small number of customers who have not completed the process.
“Out of those outstanding customers, 441 are in Alexandra, where our technicians have encountered some reluctance from residents,” Mangena explained.
Despite this, he assured the public that with the deadline fast approaching and penalty fees temporarily suspended, more customers have started coming forward to complete the upgrades.
Urgency for Complex Residents to Comply
In addition to the general public, City Power is urging Johannesburg residents living in sectional title properties or complexes to ensure their electricity meter boxes are also upgraded.
Many of these residents have mistakenly assumed that the responsibility for upgrading their meters falls to the body corporate or homeowners’ association.
City Power is making it clear that this is not the case. “We appeal to the sectional title holders to ensure that each meter in their respective units is upgraded,” Mangena said.
“It has come to our attention that some customers are under the impression that the body corporate will be responsible for upgrading individual unit meters. Unfortunately, that responsibility lies with the owners themselves.”
Why Meter Upgrades Are Necessary
The upgrade of electricity meters is part of a broader effort to modernize South Africa’s energy infrastructure. The new metering system is expected to offer a variety of benefits, including more accurate readings and improved fraud prevention.
It also aligns with City Power’s goals of improving customer service and reducing operational inefficiencies.
The rollout of these upgraded meters is also crucial for enhancing the utility’s ability to track electricity consumption, reduce errors in billing, and ensure more reliable service for customers across Johannesburg.
In addition, the new meters are designed to be more user-friendly, allowing for easier management and monitoring of electricity usage.
Final Push as Deadline Nears
With just days remaining before the deadline, City Power has urged all customers to take swift action to avoid disruptions in their electricity supply. Mangena emphasized the importance of purchasing tokens from legal vendors and reiterated that these tokens would automatically trigger the necessary meter upgrades.
For those who have not yet upgraded their meters, the utility has stressed the urgency of taking action before the deadline. Failure to comply could result in a loss of access to electricity services, as the current meters will no longer be compatible with the new system after Sunday midnight.
Looking Forward
As the deadline draws near, City Power continues to work on educating and assisting customers who may still be unaware of the necessary upgrades. The utility has been working closely with vendors and local offices to ensure a smooth transition to the new system, and it remains optimistic that the overwhelming majority of Johannesburg’s residents will meet the deadline.
The post City Power confident customers will meet prepaid meter upgrade deadline appeared first on News365.co.za.
Zim Instantly via Simplex Solutions