Prepaid electricity meter
Prepaid electricity meter is a type of electricity meter where money needs to be recharged before using electricity. Only then can electricity be used. It is called a prepaid electricity meter or simply prepaid meter because payment is made in advance.[1]
Since this meter disconnects when the balance is over, the meter will alert you when the balance is almost over. And when the money is completely exhausted, the electricity connection is cut off. But on weekends, other special holidays and friendly hours (from 4 pm to 10 am the next day), the meter does not stop power supply even if there is no money in the meter. During this time the meter uses credit electricity which the meter adjusts itself after recharging. Again, the power supply can be kept on during working days with emergency balance. After recharging, the meter adjusts itself.[2] The usage rate of this meter is constantly increasing in various developing countries. But among them, the notable countries are Bangladesh, India, South Africa,[3] Tanzania[4] etc.
These meters are mainly of two types,[2] such as Keypad Prepaid Meter and Smart Card Prepaid Meter[1][5]
classification
Generally two types of electricity meter are found nearby. They are:
Keypad type Prepaid Meter
This meter has both unit transfer system and currency transfer system technology. Keypad meters consist of a display and a keypad. It is named so mainly because of the keypad. Its keypad has 10 numbers from 0 to 9 and a delete button on the left and an enter button on the right.[2] Usually the delete button has ← a symbol and the enter button ↵ Enter has an enter symbol. But they don't have any constant color code. Different companies used different colors to direct them. But mostly delete button is colored as red and enter is blue or green.
How to use: A card is provided with each meter. The number mentioned on that card has to be recharged through specified bank, recharge counter, Telecash, G-Pay feature of Grameenphone etc.[6] You can also pay physically from the electricity office. Then an SMS with a 20-digit token arrives on the given mobile number. Then you have to input that number using keypad of meter. When all the 20 number will be entered, just press the Enter key. If you enter a wrong digit, it will warn you and if you do that several times your meter can be locked. So be careful about entering digits through keypad.
Smart card type Prepaid Meter
Smart card meters only have currency transfer system technology, unlike keypad meters this meter does not have a unit transfer system.[2] A smart card is provided to the customer with this meter.
How to use: The provided smart card should be recharged at the vending station or electricity office. Then swipe it into the meter. But when using mobile banking, the money is automatically recharged in the meter. No need to swipe the card into the meter.[1]
cost
Here is a chart, where costing in Bangladesh of prepaid meter are given:
| Collected charges | account | Amount of money ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Total Recharged Rs. | 6.33 | 6.33 |
| VAT (5%) | 6.33* (5/105) | 0.30 |
| Demand charge | 2 kW * ($0.32/kW) | 0.64 |
| Meter charge | June * ($0.42/month) | 0.42 |
| Total charges (0.30 + 0.63 + 0.42) | 1.36 | |
| Rebate 1% | 1/101 * (6.33 - (0.42 + 0.30)) | 0.055 |
| Net recharge | 6.33 - 1.36 + 0.055 | 5.03 |
Advantages and Difficulties
Advantages
Prepaid meters have several advantages. For example:
- You can know how much money is spent and how much money is left at any given time.
- There is no possibility of disconnection of the line due to non-payment of electricity bill.
- But when the money runs out, the electricity connection is automatically disconnected. Later, if the money is recharged, the electricity connection will automatically come again. As a result, manpower is less than before.
- As manpower is less than before, the amount of corruption will decrease also.
- Electricity wastage is reduced.
- As the customer himself is very aware of the bill, the incidence of electricity theft is very less.
- No hassle of paying extra bill due to wrong meter reading.
- Since not everyone pays the bill on the same day, there is no additional hassle of paying the bill in case of prepaid meter.
- The meter automatically signals the customer before the meter runs out of money, making everyone more aware of electricity usage.
- Considering the inconvenience to the customer, the meter does not stop power supply even if there is no money in the meter during weekends, other special holidays and friendly hours (from 4 pm to 10 am the next day). During this time the meter uses credit electricity which the meter adjusts itself after recharging. [2]
- Moreover, there is a system of emergency credit. Apart from the above times, if there is a power outage, the customer can activate the emergency credit by pressing the card or a special code. [1][6]
Difficulties
Along with the advantages of prepaid meters there are also some disadvantages. Namely:
- Due to power overload many times the power flow automatically shuts off. [2] If the overload is not reduced, the meter will first alarm and then shut down for 30 minutes with five beeps. [1]
- As it cannot take overload, it has not yet been possible to use it in various large offices or factories.
- The electricity bill is high. Because customer demand charges, energy charges, meter rent and VAT etc. are added to the bill.[6] Again Depending on the type of meter, the amount of money fluctuates. [7]
- Due to increase in electricity bills, prices of various commodities are increasing. As a result, it is becoming difficult for the common man to buy basic necessities. [8]
- For this, experts fear that inflation may occur in the country. [8]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Ibne Shams, Arique (24 June 2019). "প্রিপেইড বৈদ্যুতিক মিটার ও এর খুঁটিনাটি – Bir Bangla-বীর বাংলা পোর্টাল". Beer Bangla (in Bengali). Retrieved 1 June 2022. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Kabir, Iqbal (19 May 2020). "বিদ্যুতের ডিজিটাল প্রিপেইড মিটার". Iqbir (in Bengali). Retrieved 1 June 2022. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Ellis, Megan (31 January 2022). "Received extra electricity codes? Cape Town prepaid meter upgrade explained". Memeburn. Newstex LLC. Retrieved 1 June 2022. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Jacome, V; I, Ray (2018). The prepaid electric meter: Rights, relationships and reification in Unguja, Tanzania. eScholarship, University of California. Retrieved 1 June 2022. Search this book on
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "ডিজিটাল প্রিপেইড মিটার ডায়াল কোড সমূহ, সুবিধা অসুবিধা - eMakerBD". eMakerBD (in Bengali). 25 May 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2022. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 https://customer.nesco.gov.bd/production/documents/user_manual_for_smart_pre_payment_meter.pdf Archived 2022-06-08 at the Wayback Machine [bare URL PDF]
- ↑ First Part=Sanjana|Last Part=Chowdhury|Date=25 June 2019|Work=BBC Bangla|Collection-Date=1 June 2022|Publisher=BBC News|Place of Publication=Dhaka}}
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Bartholomew, Jem (15 April 2022). "'I'm frightened': prepaid meter users feel early impact of price hike". The gurdian. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
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