Smart Meter/Prepaid Conversion

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b0nesZA

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Need some help

Have applied for the prepaid electricity meter to be installed at my home about 3 months ago, filled in the application form etc
Went back last week to Randburg CoJ offices and was told that it has been escalated but there is nothing that they can do......Not sure what else i can do/who i can speak to. Have spammed citypower and CoJ emails but get no response.

Anyone have any idea's, it seems to be stuck at the quotation phase. As in no one is giving me a quote to do the installation/conversion......
 
All the smart meters in my block went off today. No idea why.

No power for a few hours
 
b0nesZA said:
Need some help

Have applied for the prepaid electricity meter to be installed at my home about 3 months ago, filled in the application form etc
Went back last week to Randburg CoJ offices and was told that it has been escalated but there is nothing that they can do......Not sure what else i can do/who i can speak to. Have spammed citypower and CoJ emails but get no response.

Anyone have any idea's, it seems to be stuck at the quotation phase. As in no one is giving me a quote to do the installation/conversion......
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Also stuck trying to get my smart meter converted to prepaid, though a bit further along in the process than you are. This is the process I had to follow to get the quote:

First I had to apply and complete the application form, at any CoJ branch. I was told there that I had to wait about 2 weeks then go and see a specific person at a specific branch (Which was Roodepoort City Hall, since I was in region C). I did get a call within those 2 weeks to confirm I had a smart meter and was given the quote verbally. I then went in to see the person at the City Hall. Apparently she is the only person in the whole region that can do the quotation and process the conversion. When I got to security, I just asked to see the person for the prepaid conversion and had to sit in a queue, which is separate to the standard queues, so a very short waiting time. She checked the system and wrote how much I must pay on the form. I paid at the cashier then went straight back to her and she completed the application.

So now, the following is where I am stuck:

As noted above I paid the required fee, which was on 24 February. I was told the conversion would take place within 90 days at most, though it normally happens within 30 days. If I didn't hear from anyone within 30 days, then she gave me the email addresses of 2 people to query it with. So after 30 days I emailed and eventually got a response from a third person on 7 April, where they wanted to confirm my meter number and that I had a working CIU. Since confirming this, I have had no response to any of my mails, as I would like an update on when they will actually arrive to do the conversion. When I phone City Power, they put me through to the "pre-paid department" and it just rings. So, as of today, they have one week left to do the conversion within the 90 days. Not feeling too confident that it will happen though, so the next step will be to try go back to the person at City Hall and see if she has any way to push City Power.
 
What's your reason(s) for converting to prepaid ? AFAIK , you pay more per kWh , so just curious.
 
The_Traveller said:
What's your reason(s) for converting to prepaid ? AFAIK , you pay more per kWh , so just curious.
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Yes, the rates are higher, however the Service Charge and Network Charge then fall away, as they are only charged to account holders to manage their readings, billing, etc, and to provide your variable usage each month, which is not applicable with prepaid as you only use what you buy.

The saving of these 2 items is around R470pm, and based on my usage, I will probably only pay on average R30-R50 more for the actual supply based on the higher tariffs. So overall, a saving of over R400 each month.

In addition to this, with FNB you can get up to 15% back in ebucks on your prepaid electricity purchases. So if on a quiet month I spend R800 on electricity, I will get another R120 back in ebucks with my 15%, on top of the R400 already saved above. That's over R500 I will benefit by every month.
 
I'm in the same boat. If I convert I'll save about 400 per month so really considering it. Just not keen on all the (expected) drama I have to go through.

I already have the smart meter installed, anyone know the process and cost involved in switching?
 
From here : http://ward89.co.za/?p=167


Follow the procedure below to convert to a pre-paid meter.



– You must have a smart meter installed.

– Send an email to [email protected] with the following info: your contact info, meter number and make, account number, latest bill, copy of your ID. She will advise on what to do next.

– The conversion of a smart meter to pre-paid will be at no cost to the customer.



NOTE: if you have no smart meter and want to simply replace your current old meter with a pre-paid one, then go to a walk in centre to apply, at your own cost.
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Going to give it a bash and see.
 
Got this reply:

Please visit your nearest City of Johannesburg walk-in centre to apply for conversion to prepaid. You will be provided with a notification number and the application will be forwarded to City Power for a quotation to be raised. Once the quotation is raised it will be forwarded back to the City of Johannesburg, they will contact you to advise how much you’ll need to pay. If you agree to the quotation and pay the application will be sent back to City Power for conversion which will be done within 21 working days upon receipt of payment.
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What would the quote be for? I told them I already have a smart meter installed.
 
abudabi said:
Got this reply:



What would the quote be for? I told them I already have a smart meter installed.
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As far as I know, its the actual conversion. They might also install a keypad. Also have a smart meter. I did the process in May, the quote for me was R513 incl vat.

Still waiting these guys though!

Your smart meter in your house? Mine is in one of those new security boxes they've upgraded out on the road. The whole streets smart meters are in there now.
 
Last edited:
Got this back as well from someone else:

You need to go to your nearest COJ Walk in Centres (COJ Offices) and apply for converting to Pre-Paid. You will get a quotation first and pay the fee its about R481 plus VAT. Once you paid than the meter will be converted to Pre-Paid. Please tell them that you got Smart meter already give them meter number as well.
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Eish.. you did it in MAY and still waiting ? :(

My smart meter is in its old box on the street... but its own dedicated one; not communal.
 
abudabi said:
Got this back as well from someone else:



Eish.. you did it in MAY and still waiting ? :(

My smart meter is in its old box on the street... but its own dedicated one; not communal.
Click to expand...
Mine took nearly 6 months in total. (From application until my actual account was correct) A pain, but now I get the benefit.
Just make sure you budget for at least 2-3 months of paying the prepaid, as well as post paid accounts until your billing is sorted out. You'll get the extra post paid amount to back as a credit on your account.
 
Yeah, the billing part is what I'm worried about.

Applying in May was my second application. The first one I did was last year. I think I posted it in another thread on mybb.

I went into find out what's happening, app they "lost" my application. Im assuming cos my first application was free, they then started charging people so they didn't even bother with mine.
 
bumblebee said:
Mine took nearly 6 months in total. (From application until my actual account was correct) A pain, but now I get the benefit.
Just make sure you budget for at least 2-3 months of paying the prepaid, as well as post paid accounts until your billing is sorted out. You'll get the extra post paid amount to back as a credit on your account.
Click to expand...

Can you confirm that these service- and network charges definitely fall away once on pre-paid?
2016-07-20_007.png
 
Cost per unit is higher, but I would need to use more than 2500 kW before it surpasses my savings on the network charges. YMMV, of course.
 
Another reason I went prepaid, if I choose to add solar power to my home in the future, it is much cheaper to supplement any shortfall using prepaid, than on postpaid.
 
@andyvb Did you ever get sorted with your prepaid conversion?
 
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