Latest news with #FBE
IOL News
a day ago
- General
- IOL News
City Power's Free Basic Electricity programme: Expert insights on its feasibility and challenges
City Power announces plans to provide indigent households with free 50kWh per month Image: Supplied/City Power City Power has made a call to all financially disadvantaged and qualifying households across Johannesburg to register for the Free Basic Electricity (FBE) programme. The City of Johannesburg's power utility stated that this is an important initiative aimed at providing eligible customers with free electricity units each month, as part of its broader strategy to ensure inclusive access to electricity and improve customer compliance. According to the city, this is also aimed at addressing electricity theft and equipment damage resulting from the overloading of the network through illegal connections and tampering. The registration drive is scheduled to run from June 17 until July 31, with a target of registering 130,000 indigent customers. City Power's Isaac Mangena said: "Once registered, eligible residents will receive 50kWh of electricity per month at no cost, allowing them to power essential household needs such as lighting, cooking, and heating." According to the utility's 2024 data, 94.1% of the city's residents were connected to the grid in 2022. Mangena said customers can register at community-based pop-up registration stations, malls, taxi ranks, churches, SASSA pay points and through City Power's door-to-door campaigns and Imbizos. Mayibuye resident Vuyolethu Cokotho, 25, expressed excitement, hopeful that the initiative would help many people. "I hope the registration goes smoothly and we get electricity. It is very difficult to survive without electricity because you have to go around asking people to charge your phone for you, asking them to keep your meat in their fridge, and sometimes they don't have meat themselves," Cokotho told IOL. IOL previously reported on cases of electrocution as residents tried to get themselves connected to the power grid illegally. Speaking exclusively to IOL News, energy expert Chris Yellend said: "It is a noble ambition. However, it is not going to be achieved this year or next year, mainly because the city is grappling with mismanagement and quick urbanisation, even though high-density areas like Joburg are more affordable and quicker to electrify than low-density rural areas." "Plans are made every year, and a lot of them don't come to fruition. This could well be one of them," remarked Yellend.
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Eskom launches smart prepaid meter rollout in Gauteng
Eskom has embarked on an extensive infrastructure upgrade programme across Gauteng, focusing on introducing smart prepaid meters to improve service quality and give customers greater control over their electricity consumption. As part of this initiative, the utility is rolling out smart prepaid split meters in Sandton and Midrand, provided at no cost to residential customers. The rollout begins with a comprehensive stakeholder engagement process, including community meetings, door-to-door education campaigns, customer forums, and ward meetings. These engagements aim to inform residents about the benefits of smart prepaid meters, as well as related programmes such as free basic electricity (FBE), inclining block tariff (IBT), and energy efficiency measures. Read more: City Power extends meter compliance deadline for people who have not upgraded yet A smart prepaid meter is a digital device that records electricity consumption in real time, deducts the amount from a prepaid balance loaded by the customer, and communicates with Eskom remotely. The meter and its customer interface unit (CIU) work together to display current credit and consumption data, allowing users to monitor their usage closely. These meters feature two-way communication, enabling Eskom to read data, detect power outages, identify tampering, and send updates or instructions remotely. When the prepaid balance reaches zero, the system automatically disconnects power and reconnects once credit is loaded. To top up, customers can buy prepaid tokens from accredited vendors, supermarkets, banks, or online platforms, and then load the tokens into the CIU at home. The CIU shows the remaining electricity units and flashes faster as usage increases, helping users manage their consumption efficiently. Also read: City Power urges prepaid customers to complete meter upgrades before deadline The benefits of smart prepaid meters include cost savings through better consumption control, enhanced customer service with real-time outage detection, reduced theft and tampering due to anti-tampering features, and proactive notifications via SMS or email when credit is running low. Additionally, these meters contribute to a more reliable and stable electricity supply, with fewer outages and load shedding events. Customers are advised to purchase prepaid tokens only from authorised vendors to ensure they receive the correct amount of electricity without additional fees. Eskom also encourages customers to contact their local revenue protection units regarding illegal connections, which smart meters can now detect more effectively. For more information or to apply for services, customers can email their requests with relevant hashtags and details to the appropriate Eskom regional email addresses listed on Eskom's website. The ongoing upgrades aim to drastically reduce energy theft and improve overall service delivery, making electricity management more transparent, efficient, and secure for Gauteng residents. Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration! Have a story idea? We'd love to hear from you – join our WhatsApp group and share your thoughts! Related article: Cllr Deborah Francisco shuts door to smart meters in Alex At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
