BENECO readies pre-paid metering system
BENGUET Electric Cooperative consumers can now avail of pre-paid electricity similar to what the Manila Electric Company is using following the set up of 1,000 prepaid electric meters to those interested in the new service.
Pre-paid electricity can be availed through payment of the pre-paid power cards which could be loaded to their meters or through the autoload system, and could be inputted through the internet and other mobile devices.
Subscription bears in lieu of the existing meters being read by meter readers is guaranteed tamper-free and is aimed at helping the rural electric cooperative reduce the systems loss.
BENECO General Manage Gerardo Versoza explained pre-paid meters are different from the AMI for big loads. The first 1,000 accounts as per board approval where Beneco installed intelligent meters, equipped with fiber optics capability and a radio signal for its redundant communication for easy reading by the control room are big accounts consuming 10,000 kilowatt a month which contributes to 30 percent in sales when read at the same time would translate for a better accuracy of determining and calculating systems lost.
Based on the initial
survey conducted by BENECO of over 36,000 consumers on the acceptability of the use of pre-paid electricity, 93 percent of the surveyed consumers prefer the existing system of being supplied power in their homes and establishments.
Some six percent were amenable to trying the pre-paid power service, while less than one percent remain undecided.
"The model that Beneco would like to try is a meter where you will have to buy the load from the cooperative through manual and electronic system from your household because the system Meralco uses in loading via cellular unit technology is costly to our consumers," Versoza explained.
BENECO wants to pilot the use of the pre-paid electricity to its employees and to those who have signified their intention of availing such services which was earlier offered in July this year to test the efficiency and effectivity of the system for others to be convinced to patronize the use of the pre-paid system of being connected to the power distribution firm.
The pre-paid electricity is applicable to apartment owners who often encounter problems on unpaid and unsettled power bills with the rural electric cooperative ending up being settled by the lessors. Occupants of apartments will only be given the right amount of power to use during their temporary stay.
Versoza disclosed the replacement of the meters of consumers wanting to avail of the pre-paid power service will be free and at the expense of the cooperative to guarantee more consumers will be convinced to shift to using pre-paid electricity for their daily needs among others.
This service is allowed by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) as one of the services to be provided by power distribution utilities allowing consumers to have the option whether or not to maintain the traditional metered system of availing of electricity from the service provider.
BENECO has been classified as a Triple A cooperative with a systems loss of 9.06 and consumers reaching over 150,000 for both residential and commercial consumers.
"Pre-paid service to BENECO consumers is one of the strategies to help the rural electric cooperative realize lower operational expenses while providing the consumers with quality service through a reliable system of distribution," Versoza added.