POLOKO TAU
IT IS not true that prepaid electricity meters in Chiawelo run faster and charge more, as alleged by residents.
This is according to results of tests conducted by the SA Bureau of Standards and the National Energy Regulator of SA, which were released by Eskom to the Gauteng Legislature’s petitions standing committee and community representatives on Friday.
Chiawelo residents had filed a petition to the committee earlier this year, complaining about the meters.
The committee’s chairman, Jacob Khawe, said Eskom was asked to do the tests on boxes picked randomly.
“They picked a sample of 400 boxes. Only 16 had some problem. Generally the results were that there was nothing wrong with the meters. We have now asked the petitioners to explain the results to the community and then say if they were satisfied or not.
“It has been verified that the Chiawelo boxes were not running any faster than any other prepaid meters.”
Two weeks ago, angry residents torched two houses, belonging to the previous and the current councillor, as they protested against the meters.
Eskom has undertaken to improve communication with customers on the advice of the petitions committee.
In an interview with The Star yesterday, Eskom sales and customer services regional manager Bandile Jack emphasised that the findings needed to be explained to the residents.
Jack referred to Eskom’s inclining block tariff (IBT), which is divided into four blocks. A block is determined by the amount of power used. Each successive block charges more per unit of energy.
“For prepaid customers, each purchase will be allocated to the relevant block based on the calendar month. On the first of each month, the system will automatically allocate new purchases to the first block on the cheaper rate. Customers should be advised to purchase electricity on a monthly basis and not in a bulk, as the system cannot convert any leftover units into the new month at a cheaper rate,” the IBT document states.
“The IBT works on the principle that the more electricity you use, the more you pay, and if you use less you will pay lower rates,” said Jack.
Explaining the “split metering system” installed in Chiawelo as a pilot project for Soweto, Jack said it was similar to any other prepaid meter “except for the security and the intelligence behind it”.
“With this system, the meter is no longer in the house, but is locked in a green steel box in the street to prevent tampering. The customer will have a keypad inside the house on which electricity can be loaded.
“What people don’t realise is that we can monitor meters in Chiawelo from our office and can switch them off from here. We’re able to see non-buying customers, illegal connections and any tampering.”
Jack said the split metering was aimed at encouraging customers to pay and become efficient electricity users.
He said Eskom had been about to spend R21 million installing 4 000 solar water geysers in Chiawelo, which were aimed at saving up to 50 percent on electricity usage, but were forced to abandon the project. “People of Chiawelo resisted, believing we were trying to cover for our allegedly fast-running meters. The geysers were installed in Ivory Park, but we’re still going to install the geysers in Chiawelo.”
Eskom intended installing the split metering system in the whole of Soweto in less than four years. “With this we can save up to 50 percent on consumption in Soweto,” Jack said.