IMPORTANT SMART PREPAID METER

IMPORTANT SMART PREPAID METER INFORMATION
Small Power Users (electricity supply < 100Amps)
1
Background
Why is the City of Tshwane installing smart meters?
The City of Tshwane (CoT) has launched an initiative called the Security
of Revenue Project (SORP) that involves replacing all existing electricity
meters in Tshwane with smart meters on a prepaid basis. The project
will help the CoT overcome problems of inaccurate billing, loss of
revenue and secure the financial position of the CoT. Furthermore,
smart meters create a more efficient electricity grid with benefits to
you, the local economy, and the CoT.
What are the electricity by-laws?
The CoT electricity by-laws were approved and promulgated on 7
August 2013. They prescribe the conversion of electricity metering
from post-paid to smart prepaid for all electricity customers
(residential, commercial and industrial), unless they receive a direct
supply from Eskom. The by-laws cover theft and tampering, arrears,
disconnection and reconnection. The CoT revenue protection unit will
enforce by-laws by enforcing legal action on any parties contravening
a by-law. Contravention is a punishable offence and may result in fines/
damages.
The complete by-laws are available on the CoT website:
http://www.tshwane.gov.za/Services/Electricity/Electricity%20
ByLaws/227_7-8-2013_GautSeparateCV01.pdf
What is a smart prepaid meter?
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A smart meter is an advanced type of digital electricity meter that
records when, and how much, electricity is consumed, and deducts the
amount consumed from a prepaid balance loaded by you. The smart
meter allow you to view near real-time electricity usage and over time
helps you to manage your consumption. The meter sends accurate
reads automatically to the CoT eliminating the need for electricity bills
and manual meter readings. You will however still receive a bill for your
other municipal services e.g. water and sewerage. Smart meters are
capable of two- way communication between the meter and the CoT.
This enables the CoT to read information off the meter, detect power
outages and meter tampering, and to send information to the meter
such as programming updates. Automated instructions are also sent
to the meter to interrupt the power supply when your prepaid account
balance reaches zero, and to reconnect supply once you have loaded
credit. Meters are tested in accordance with, and meet, International
Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and South African specifications.
How does the smart prepaid meter work?
Smart meters provide two-way communications between the CoT,
its service providers and each smart meter. The meter is connected
via telecommunication technology to a central system that links your
electricity credit to your electricity consumption
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Consumer
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Electricity
Supply
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Self Care
Portal
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City of Tshwane
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4
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Smart meter
Meter sends automatic meter reads to back-end system
(improved data accuracy and better forecasting)
No more physical meter reads
Meters operate on a prepaid system
You do not receive a monthly electricity bill - instead
consumption analysis is available online (resulting in fewer
queries, disputes and complaints)
Consumption shown in near real-time on Self Care Portal
You can monitor energy usage and manage consumption
CoT can communicate with the meter for software upgrades
and disconnection/reconnection instructions
Better usage data enables better energy service offerings
Benefits
How will a smart meter help me manage my
electricity expenses?
Improved
customer
service
Job creation
and economic
growth
Automated
and accurate
charges
Benefits of
Smart Prepaid
Meters
Reduced theft
and fraud
Cost savings
Near
real-time
information
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Reduced
unexpected
power cuts
You will no longer receive unexpected bills as a smart meter sends
the meter readings automatically to the CoT back-end systems, and
your consumption is deducted from your prepaid credit. You can view
your credit and consumption on a website, the “Self Care Portal”.
You will thus know how much electricity you have consumed, and
therefore are able to adjust your consumption habits, and budget
accordingly.
What are the benefits?
There are a number of benefits of to the smart meter:
• Improved customer service:
-- Queries relating to electricity billing will be eliminated.
-- Real-time outage detection helps the CoT to detect supply
faults and proactively respond to them allowing for faster
resolution.
-- Automated upload of credit to your smart meter account.
-- You are not bound as to when and where electricity can be
purchased.
-- Proactive SMS and email reminders to notify you when you are
running out of credit and need to top-up your account.
• No more estimated electricity bills! You are able to manage your
electricity expenditure in a simple and reliable manner.
• Theft and fraud are reduced as smart meters have anti-tampering
technology and tamper alarms which are linked to the CoT
system.
• The system enables the CoT to better plan around the use of
electricity. This enables accurate load profiling, contributing to a
more reliable electricity supply and reduced unexpected power
cuts.
• The smart meter system allows you to access details about your
electricity consumption in near real-time. You will know how
much electricity you have consumed, and therefore are able to
adjust your consumption habits and save money.
• The installation of smart meters supports job creation, and
growth and development in the CoT.
Costs
What are the cost implications for me?
• Costs will be carried by the CoT, providing you with:
-- Free smart prepaid meter
-- Free installation
-- Free repairs (excluding tampering or malicious damage)
-- No increase in the cost of electricity as a result of the smart
meter project
-- No impact on Eskom’s rebate strategy
• The prevailing tariff structure will apply and be revised annually
as per the standard approval of the Municipal Council and NERSA. • There are opportunities to minimise electricity costs by
monitoring and adjusting your consumption habits.
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Impact
The smart prepaid metering solution employed by the CoT is built
on established and robust technology. Several million smart meters
have been deployed worldwide to date.
How will smart meters affect me?
Prepaid versus postpaid
• Y
ou will be required to pay upfront for your electricity. This
means that you will no longer receive an electricity bill from the
CoT but instead will be required to purchase prepaid electricity
credit.
• This could mean that your budgeting process needs to change.
Settle accounts in arrears
• Y
ou will be required to settle any arrears on your municipal
service accounts with the CoT before you will be able to
purchase prepaid electricity credit.
• Should you need to make arrangements to pay off your final
post paid and other municipal accounts, you may apply to the
CoT via the normal channels to request a payment plan on
your final post-paid bill. However this is by agreement by the
mandated parties in the CoT only. Terms and conditions apply.
Traditional prepaid versus smart prepaid
• If you have a traditional prepaid electricity meter this will be
replaced with a smart meter.
• You will need to follow a different process to purchase and load
prepaid electricity credit for your smart meter.
Online registration on the Self Care Portal
• T
o purchase electricity you will be required to register your
account on the Self Care Portal on the world wide web (WWW).
• The Self Care Portal is your tool to help you to monitor and
manage your account.
• Once you have registered your account, the power is in your
hands to proactively monitor and manage your consumption
and account!
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1 Site survey
2 Install smart meter
3 You register online
4 You purchase electricity
5 You receive electricity
What is the installation process?
1.Site survey • A pre-installation site survey is conducted to assess
the configuration of the existing meter and should the
configuration be unsuitable, the installation will be
postponed.
2.Install smart meter
• If the configuration is suitable, a new smart meter will be
installed.
• Meter installations will be between 6am and 4pm.
• The smart meter will be installed in a secure meter box on
CoT property on the sidewalk.
• During the installation there will be a power outage of
approximately 4-6 hours.
• The smart meter will be operational as soon as it has been
installed and tested.
• Photographs and detailed records will be taken of the final
meter readings on existing meters.
• This last post-paid meter reading is used to calculate your
final post-paid bill.
• Please provide access to your premises if and when required
to install the meter in accordance with the by-laws of the CoT.
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3.You register online
• You register on the “Self Care Portal” (website) in order to be able
to purchase electricity. You need to have your account details
available to do this. These details can be found at the top of your
post-paid electricity bill.
• You will have 72 hours after midnight on the day of the
installation to register and perform your first purchase. The
meter will register a negative balance during this period which
will be deducted from the amount of your first purchase. If you
have not topped-up within the 72 hours, your supply of electricity
will be disconnected until you top-up.
4.You purchase electricity
• You purchase electricity via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) on
your bank’s internet banking website or via direct deposit into one
of the CoT’s specifically established bank accounts for prepaid
electricity, to ensure an uninterrupted electricity supply. The CoT
has dedicated bank accounts for this purpose with ABSA, FNB,
Standard Bank and Nedbank. A transfer from your bank account
with one of these banks into the corresponding CoT account
will update your prepaid balance within 5 minutes and allow for
uninterrupted supply of electricity
• Supply will be disconnected when you run out of credit.
5.You receive electricity
• Once your transaction is approved, your account will be credited
with the amount of the transaction.
Is it possible that the installation is postponed?
The installation team will perform a pre-installation site survey to
assess your current meter setup. There may be circumstances where
problems are found which could lead to the postponement of your
installation until the problem has been resolved.
When electricity goes down, does that affect the
reliability of the data stored on the smart meters?
No. The smart meters are able to store many months’ worth of
electricity consumption data and have back-up batteries. All data
is stored on the back-end system which has a full disaster recovery
back-up system in place.
At what time will the installation take place?
Meters will be exchanged daily between 6am and 4pm
Will my electricity supply be interrupted during
installation?
Yes – during the meter installation, there will be a power outage for
approximately 4 hours.
Will the installers need access to my property?
Installers will not require access to install the smart meter.
Installation
When will my smart meter be installed?
The installation of smart meters commenced on 1 October
2013. We aim to switch residential users (Small Power Users)
from December 2014 onwards. Installers will be in specific
areas at predefined dates.
Can I choose the date and time of the
installation ?
No, your date of installation has been scheduled according to
the rollout plan.
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How will I be able to identify the installation team?
The installation team is identifiable by photo identification cards
displaying:
• City of Tshwane logo
• City of Tshwane call centre number
• Name of field agent/engineer
• Field agent/engineer photograph
If you have any concerns, please call (012) 943 9950 to verify the
installation team.
Do I need to be present for the installation?
You do not need to be present for the installation of the smart meter.
Are there costs associated with installation?
• There is no charge for the smart meter
• There is no charge for the installation of the smart meter
• The CoT incurs the costs of transitioning from the current system
to the smart meter system
• As the smart meter and installation thereof are free, no exchange
of money is permitted.
What about maintenance?
There are no serviceable parts hence maintenance is only required in
the unlikely event of damage or fault.
What happens with sectional title complexes?
The CoT will only be replacing its own meters on its own
infrastructure. This means only the bulk meter will be replaced on
sectional title properties. Private metering companies’ infrastructure
will not be replaced. If there is a body corporate then the account will
need to be paid by the body corporate who must recover accordingly
from tenants.
Who do I contact if there are any problems with
the installation of the new smart meter?
• C
all the Smart Meter Contact Centre on (012) 943 9950 or email
smartmeter@tshwane.gov.za
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Self Care Portal
What is the “Self Care Portal”?
• T
he Self Care Portal is a website on which you need to register in
order to purchase electricity credit.
• Details on how to register and purchase electricity will be
provided on the day of installation.
• On the Self Care Portal you can do the following:
• V
iew account, customer and meter information (including
consumption data and reports)
• Change your account settings:
-- Set your balance notification thresholds
-- Enter email addresses and mobile number to receive
notifications
• Generate tax invoices
• You do not buy electricity on the Self Care Portal itself but rather
via your bank’s internet banking website.
• Once you have registered your account, the power is in your
hands to proactively monitor and manage your consumption and
account!
When can I register?
You have up 72 hours after midnight on the day of the installation
of your smart meter to register and perform your first purchase of
electricity.
What happens if I do not register?
If you do not register on the Self Care Portal, you will not be able to
purchase electricity for your meter.
Will my prepaid meter run as a post-paid meter
until I register?
During the 72 hour window after installation in which you have to
register and perform your first purchase, the meter will register a
negative balance which will be deducted from the amount of your
first purchase. If you have not topped-up within 72 hours, your
supply of electricity will be interrupted until you top-up.
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Registration stage
1.
2.
Access Self Care Portal on https://
tums.mdmhosting.com
4.
Fill in all information under ‘User
details’ and click ‘Register’
7.
Enter Username and temporary
password and click ‘Sign in’
10.
Enter new password in ‘New
password’ and ‘Retype new
password’ fields
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3.
Click on ‘Register’
5.
A temporary password will be sent
to the email address you entered
in the preceding step
8.
A ‘Change password’ window will
automatically pop up
11.
Click on ‘Change password’
Agree to Online Terms and
Conditions of use
(option to print and save)
6.
Click on ‘New login’ or return
to log in page
https://tums.mdmhosting.com
9.
Enter temporary password in
‘Current password’ field
12.
You have successfully
registered and logged in!
The CoT has specifically established bank accounts for prepaid
electricity. Choose your preferred option from the list of accounts
below:
ABSA
Account name: COT: Smart Prepaid Electricity Account
Account number: 408 237 1629
Branch name: Absa CIBW
Branch code: 632005
FNB
Account name: Smart Prepaid Electricity
Account number: 624 402 728 55
Branch name: RMB Corporate Banking
Branch code: 255005
Nedbank
Account name: TSHWANE: Smart Prepaid Electricity of Tshwane
Account number: 105 891 9229
Branch name: Nedbank South Africa
Branch code: 198765
Standard Bank
Account name: Tshwane: Smart Prepaid Elec
Account number: 012 084 697
Branch name: Van Der Walt Street
Branch code: 010145
How do I ensure faster payment processing?
Purchasing electricity
How do I purchase electricity?
Once you have registered on the Self Care Portal, you can
purchase electricity via EFT on your bank’s internet banking
website. Alternatively you can opt to do a direct deposit at
the Bank. More vending channels will be made available in
future.
What is the account number to be used for
payment?
DO NOT pay into the old post-paid electricity account.
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Firstly, remember to pay into one of the specifically established
bank accounts for prepaid electricity. Select the bank account
that corresponds to your bank for faster payment processing.
Alternatively, please be advised that transactions may take 2-3
working days to be processed. Your account will not be updated with
any electricity purchased until the payments have cleared and are
reflected in the selected CoT prepaid electricity account.
Do I get notice when I am running low on credit?
Yes, you will be able to choose your own low and critical balance
notification thresholds on the Self Care Portal at which you would
like to be sent a notification to top-up. This is in the form of an email
or email and SMS, depending on your chosen preferred means of
communication. You receive your last notification to top-up when
your credit reaches zero.
What happens when I run out of credit?
• In the event that your credit balance is depleted to zero, your
electricity service is interrupted until such time as the electricity
account is topped-up.
• You will be notified of the disconnection/reconnection by email
or SMS
Is it cheaper to buy electricity in bulk?
No, there is no incentive for buying electricity in bulk.
How will I be sure that the credit I have purchased
has been loaded into my smart meter account?
The credit purchased will be automatically uploaded to your account
one a successful payment has been recognised by the system. You
will be notified via email or email and SMS, when the credit has been
loaded. This notification will reflect the value of electricity that has
been purchased and your new account balance.
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Process to purchase electricity
• N
ote that the unique ‘Payment ref’ starts with an ‘S’ followed by 8 digits e.g. S12345678. If you do not use the reference number
your account will NOT be topped up.
• If you are registered for VAT, enter your VAT number under the ‘Settings’ tab on the Self Care Portal.
• Your payment history, pro forma and tax invoices are stored and available for download under the ‘Top up & Invoice History’ tab on
the Self Care Portal.
1.
Log onto Self Care Portal using
User name and password
4.
You have the option to download/
cancel/ create another pro forma
invoice
7.
If needed, obtain payment approval
according to your own internal
processes
10.
Account will be topped up after
successful payment. You will receive
a notification via email and/or SMS
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2.
Click on the ‘Top up & Invoice
History’ tab
5.
To access this pro forma, either click
‘Download pro forma’ or open it
from the ‘Payment history’ table
8.
Access your internet banking,
and add the CoT smart prepaid
electricity account as a beneficiary
11.
To view tax invoice, navigate back
to the Self Care Portal ‘Top up &
Invoice History’ tab
3.
Enter Rand value amount under
‘Payment advice’ and click ‘Create’
6.
Take note of the unique ‘Payment
Ref’ which is to be used as the
reference for EFT payment
(e.g. S12345678)
9.
Complete EFT payment using the
unique ‘Payment Ref’ from the
pro forma invoice
12.
Click the relevant ‘tax invoice’ in
‘Payment history’ to download
the invoice
Tampering and theft
Are smart prepaid meters easy to tamper with?
The new smart meters are expected to reduce energy theft dramatically
through built-in smart features like tampering detection. The
smart meters have very sensitive tamper alarms and communicate
irregularities directly to the CoT’s revenue protection unit.
If it is found that you have tampered with your meter, you will be
disconnected and will have to pay a fine
Who will pay to replace stolen cables?
The CoT replaces any stolen cables once you have reported the incident
to the police.
How will the City deal with illegal connections?
Smart meters are expected to make illegal connection detection easier.
Illegal connections will be removed and the CoT has established a
revenue protection unit to respond to illegal connections and enforce
penalties incorporated in the CoT’s electricity by-laws.
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Abbreviations & Glossary
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ABBREVIATION
DESCRIPTION
CoT
City of Tshwane
EFT
Electronic Funds Transfer
IEC
International Electrotechnical Commission
kVA
Kilovolt-ampere
kWh
Kilowatt-hour
NERSA
National Energy Regulator of South Africa
SMS
Short Message Service
SORP
Security of Revenue Project
VAT
Value Added Tax
Contacts
General and post-paid queries, power outages
Phone:
CoT Contact Centre 012 358 9999
(Operating Hours- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
Email:
customercare@tshwane.gov.za
Website:
www.tshwane.gov.za
Smart meter queries
Phone:
Smart Meter Customer Care Centre 012 943 9950
(Operating Hours- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
Email:
smartmeter@tshwane.gov.za
FAQS:
www.smartmeter.tshwane.gov.za/faq.html