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Meralco eyes ERC approval for 100k more prepaid electricity meters

Rappler.com

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Meralco eyes ERC approval for 100k more prepaid electricity meters
The electricity utility firm says there are already takers for the earlier approved 40,000 meters

 

MANILA, Philippines – The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) is looking forward to the approval of 100,000 more prepaid electricity meters, following the 40,000 meters recently approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

Meralco senior vice president Alfredo Panlilio said there are already takers for the 40,000 approved meters. “We filed for 100,000 more so that more can apply,” he said in a text message.

To date, Meralco already received 20,000 applications for its prepaid retail electric service (PRES), which will be initially available in some parts of Cainta, Caloocan, Cavite, Manila, Pasig, San Juan, and Quezon City.

Panlilio said that aside from the residential customers, the National Housing Authority (NHA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) are also interested in enrolling in Meralco’s PRES.

The NHA alone is interested to apply for up to 40,000 meters for its housing projects, he said.

“The service will be offered to other areas as demand and coverage increase,” said Panlilio, who added that other local government units (LGUs) such as Las Piñas, Mandaluyong, San Juan, and Quezon City are also interested.

The ERC decision dated April 27, 2015 states that Meralco’s application is compliant with the provisions of the PRES rules mandated by ERC. Included in this decision is an affirmation that:

  • Meralco will use an Advanced Metering Infrastructure Integrated Solution (AMI-IS), a system that allows customers to monitor their electricity consumption, balance, loading history, and account information
  • Meralco’s prepaid metering system is capable of interoperating with different brands of meter
  • The meters to be used are likewise compliant and type-approved to standards of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), will be provided by Meralco, and shall be tested and sealed by ERC prior to installation.

 How to go prepaid

Offered on a voluntary basis, a customer can avail of PRES by going to any of Meralco’s business centers and paying an initial consumable load of P200 ($4.48). Meralco will not require a bill deposit.

PRES customers may purchase load in denominations of P100 ($2.24); P200 ($4.48); P300 ($6.73), P500 ($11.21); and P1,000 ($22.42). The customer will receive a top-up confirmation from their mobile phones.

PRES customers will receive a daily free SMS (short message service) regarding their remaining prepaid balance. The customer will also receive a warning via SMS 3 days before estimated depletion of load and disconnection.

Customers will be allowed to experience PRES on a trial basis for 6 months. Thereafter, they may continue to avail of PRES or return to postpaid.

ERC said that Meralco shall use the postpaid rate applicable to customers consuming 201-300 kilowatts per hour (kWh) until its system can implement a dynamic prepaid pricing, where the customer’s default prepaid rate for a particular billing period shall be the rate of the immediately preceding billing period of the said customer,” said the ERC.

ERC added that in case the remaining balance of the customer is no longer sufficient to cover the deficit, Meralco shall inform the customer to allow him to load the necessary amount within 48 hours before implementing the true-up and actual disconnection.

The utility firm is also required to submit to the ERC a report on the implementation of its PRES one year from approval.

Meralco on Friday, May 22, said it welcomes ERC approval to implement the PRES which allows customers to monitor and control their consumption through daily balance notifications and save up to 20% in electricity expenses.

Meralco has 5.63 million customers as of end-March. – Rappler.com

$1 = P44.60

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