With only 2.5 lakh users enjoying smart prepayment meter in 21 districts under the Western Zone, state-owned West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited (WZPDCL) is now working to bring the rest of its nearly 13 lakh subscribers under this facility by 2023.
Officials said the initiative is taken aimed at reducing system loss, pilferage, overbilling in power consumption as well facilitating services to subscribers.
“Some 2.5 lakh smart prepaid meters have already been installed with 5 lakh more going to be set up by 2021. We are working to cover all our users by 2023 to make the monthly electricity bill payment hassle-free,” Engineer Shafique Uddin, managing director of WZPDCL told Bangladesh Post.
Headquartered in the southern city of Khulna, currently, WZPDCL is responsible for distribution of electricity in 21 districts of Khulna and Barisal divisions and Greater Faridpur districts and another 20 upazillas excluding Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board’s (BREB) area.
WZPDCL MD said with the installment of smart prepayment meter, there will be no complaint on electricity bill in future. “In addition to stopping electricity theft, customers will also be more cautious on power consumption,” he added.
“Smart meter helps us monitor the quality of electricity at the consumer level while users can check their previous month's bills too. Besides, bill can be paid online now,” he said.
On the allegation of higher electricity bill due to prepaid meter, Shafique said, “It's a misconception.”
“Say, a customer makes a recharge of Tk 500 and a certain fee is deducted automatically then he/she thinks an extra fee is being realised. However, such complaint has dropped since we have been explaining it to them,” he said adding some Tk 40 a month is realized for a single-phase meter with no extra charge.
Shafique said consumers are getting 1 percent rebate on net electricity bill. But if the bill goes unpaid in the postpaid meter, an additional 2 percent surcharge is added to the net bill. Thus, users benefit from both sides.
“In addition, the allegation of excessive bills without reading the meter has stopped and there will be no arrears of electricity bill and therefore, nothing to worry over power disconnection even if payment remains undone,” he added.
Users are also satisfied over the smart prepayment metering system.
Nazmul Huda Collince, a resident of Khulna, told Bangladesh Post ‘There is no hassle to pay the electricity bill physically when it comes to prepaid meter.It also saves time and there is no opportunity to impose extra bill.”
“Now I can check how much power I consume a month and I can be more economical, if needed be,” he added.
Another user Engineer MotiurRohman, living in Khulna city, told Bangladesh Post “The main advantage of prepaid meter is that the electricity bill can be paid through mobile.”
“I can check my remaining balance any time. It helps me become economical on power consumption. Even if the balance runs out at the holidays, up to Tk 100 can be borrowed on emergency,” he added.