The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Volta has installed over 5,000 new smart prepaid meters in homes in Ho and Hohoe Districts in the Volta Region, as part of measures to improve efficiency in the power sector.
The Regional Communications Officer, Mr Benjamin Antwi, announced this yesterday at a public education in Ho, saying the new smart prepaid meters were fitted with a device known as Customer Interface Unit that allowed customers to get real time information in the comfort of their homes on energy used as purchased.
It also include a user manual, USB cord to change the Customer Interface Unit and a battery to power the interface unit.
Mr Antwi said these smart prepaid meters are complaint with the new Meter Management System (NMS) of the ECG which integrates all smart meters unto a common platform to enable customers purchase prepaid credit from any part of the country.
He further stated that the installation forms part of ECG’s plan to provide quality services through convenience and satisfaction for customers in the Volta Region.
“Power supply in the region has improved significantly and introducing these device will further ensure that customers are satisfied with our services,” he stressed.
He advised customers that when going to purchase credits, the customer could decide to go with the Customer Interface Unit or without it since what was needed to purchase credit was the meter number.
the credit the smart meter at the premises of the customer would remotely recharged before one got out of the premises.
“In the event that the meter fails to recharge remotely due to network error, a token is generated for the customer. The customer would then key in the 20 digit token number on the Interface Unit and the smart meter would be recharged,” he added.
He also explained that, in order to know the remaining credit on the meter, the customer could dial 009 and press enter on to the customer interface unit or dial 082 to access any information on purchasing the credit.
Mr Antwi urged all customers to read the manual attached to the smart meters since it contained all information.
He bemoaned how illegal connections by some customers affected the financial strength of the company from undertaking projects that would inure to the benefit of customers.
The communications officer warned against illegal tampering with the smart meters, adding that the device had a feature to detect illegal connection.
FROM KAFUI GATI, HO
