City Power's Smart Meter Rollout Faces Resistance due to Misinformation

The installation of smart meters, a technologically advanced tool for monitoring electricity consumption, has faced an unexpected hurdle in Johannesburg. City Power, the company in charge of this initiative, has encountered significant pushback from some residents, hindering their progress.

Tshifularo Mashava, CEO of City Power, has acknowledged that misapprehension and misinformation are the primary reasons for the rejection of smart meters by the public. The visit to Patsing informal settlement in Lenasia, where she "officially switched on the lights for the residents," highlighted the need to improve the utility's efforts in educating the populace about the benefits and operation of smart meters.

The resistance, as Mashava noted, is often rooted in an information vacuum that has given rise to misconceptions. One such belief is that smart meters inaccurately measure electricity usage, causing consumers to fear that they are losing their prepaid units unjustifiably. This objection is not isolated, with similar concerns being voiced in Naturena and Eldorado Park as well. It becomes evident that the challenge is not limited to resistance but also includes the spread of misinformation within the communities.

City Power's journey toward implementing smart meters began 12 years ago, aiming for all of their approximately 300,000 customers to be on smart meters. Currently, they are approximately 70% through with the installations. However, challenges persist, as some meters, particularly those belonging to business customers who are heavy power users, have reached their end-of-life and require replacement.

Comparatively, City Power is ahead of other local municipalities in the Gauteng area in terms of the smart meter rollout, and their ambition is to achieve 100% implementation. The smart meters offer significant advantages to the utility company, such as remote meter reading, allowing for more efficient billing and revenue protection. It also eliminates the need for physical visits to properties for meter readings or even disconnections—customers who do not pay their bills can be reminded and then disconnected remotely if necessary.

The move towards smart meters aligns with a broader nationwide shift. South African Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced during his budget speech that a new R2 billion conditional grant would fund the rollout of smart prepaid meters, prioritizing municipalities approved for debt relief.

Furthermore, the City of Tshwane has also been implementing the installation of prepaid meters, with more than 9,000 meters already installed for electricity customers. The program operates across regions, despite challenges getting access to certain gated communities, estates, and residential complexes.

The obstacles faced by City Power project the need for more robust educational campaigns to mitigate misinformation and build public trust in smart meters. It is of utmost priority for utilities to work closely with communities, making transparency, communication, and customer engagement the cornerstone of technological advancements in energy management. As part of the transition to smart meters, utility companies must reassure and prove to consumers the devices' accuracy and benefits, which potentially include greater control over power usage and cost-savings.

The rollout of smart meters in Johannesburg is not just about modernizing the energy infrastructure; it's about shaping consumer opinions and establishing a forward-thinking approach toward effective resource management in South Africa.