Smart Meter/Prepaid Conversion

[PurePower]

This thread was very helpful. I want to know if the process is still the same?

 

[Lupus]

Has anyone successfully converted? Also what was the total costs

 

[jun_tao]

Has anyone successfully converted? Also what was the total costs

Did mine last year, paid something like R580. Hope you have lots of patience. Applied in May (second application) was only converted in August, this was only after I mailed the MD of City Power and all the Heads of Dep saying how sh*t their service is. Was done within two weeks after that. BUT still being charged with that network & service charges, which I haven't been paying so I need to go in again to escalate it to remove it.

Good Luck.

 

[Valerion]

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.

Just bear in mind that if you want to supply power to the grid, you NEED to be on Time of Day Post-Paid.

All residential customers who would be willing to invest in embedded generation
with the purpose of supplementing their electricity supply from city Power will
have to be on a time-of-use, conventional tariff structure. if they are currently on
a pre-paid structure, they will be required to migrate to the time-of-use
conventional tariff structure

https://www.citypower.co.za/customers/Documents/City Power Tariffs Booklet_2016-2017.pdf on page 18.

 

[DarkImpact]

Just adding the latest cost and process to this thread.

I already have a smart meter installed and just needed to be switched over to the pre-paid. This is for CoJ:

1. You need to go the municipality to request the conversion to pre-paid. It apparently takes them 5 business days to generate a quote for this service but was told I should give it 10. Never got any communication for the quote and a month after going in to their offices I went back and the quote was then provided.

2. Quote was for R 1,495 (VAT inc.). This needs to be paid at their offices and you have to go back to the consultant to sh. So by this point you wouldve needed to physically go to their offices twice. This is damn expensive when looking at the prior posts in this thread on costs. Was then informed that it can take up to 21 business days for someone to actually come to our house. Waiting on this start today and will update this thread on this piece.

3. After someone comes to switch you over to prepaid you will have to go back to the municipal offices to request your deposit to be refunded. Was told I should prove to them that I am on pre-paid by showing I am buying pre-paid electrcity. WTF. The deposit is not refunded but rather offset against your account.

4. Still unknown as to when the service fees drop off. I guess this will only happen after I go back as per point 3 to prove I am now on pre-paid and only then will they stop charging the service fees.

 

[jun_tao]

Gees man, you're right prices have increased!!

It took me about 6 months and numerous visits to CityPower before the service fees were dropped or for the account to be properly sorted out. Got to a point where those customer services people greeted me by name.

Never loose that form (I made like 5 copies of it) that they give you, when they come to change you over to be officially on pre paid. Thats your life line for any queries after that. They send that form to the accounts guys to close your post paid account.

Good luck. I have never dealt with such an incompetent bunch of fools in my life. They make the traffic dep look like a well oiled machine.