AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
The Management of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Plc. has indicated plan to upgrade prepaid meters for its Standard Transfer Specification in a bid to enhance efficiency in line with global standards.
The upgrade, tagged Token Identification Rollover, is said to be aimed at ensuring the continued operation of prepaid meters while maintaining customer satisfaction.
Engineer Kingsley Achife, the Managing Director, said in a statement that the upgrade billed to take effect from August 1, 2023, would involve the integration of a global software update into STS meters, making them compatible with the new TID Rollover protocol.
It read that “This upgrade is imperative as, starting from November 24, 2024, all STS meters worldwide will cease to accept old credit tokens without the necessary meter upgrade. To facilitate a smooth transition, IBEDC will provide its prepaid meter customers with Key Change Tokens alongside their regular energy tokens when purchasing electricity.”
The statement further read that the KCT served as a special ‘reset’ token which is crucial for the successful completion of the meter upgrade process, adding, “Importantly, obtaining the KCT is free of charge, and customers can upgrade their meters without any impact on the current electricity tariff.”
It stressed that during the upgrade period, customers should upgrade their prepaid meters by sequentially entering the two KCT tokens (KCT1 and KCT2) and the energy token, as provided by IBEDC.
Effective August 1, 2023, old credit tokens would become obsolete, it stated and explained that customers must ensure that any unused or previously purchased energy tokens are loaded into their meters before the date.
“The meter upgrade process will not affect the credit unit balance on the meter. Customers can rest assured that their balance will remain intact after the upgrade. The meter upgrade is a one-time process. Subsequent energy token purchases will continue as usual after the upgrade has been completed.
“IBEDC is committed to supporting its customers throughout this transition. Field officers will be available to assist customers and monitor compliance. If a meter fails to load energy tokens following the KCT upgrade, customers are advised to promptly contact our customer care or email us at [email protected].”
