Prepaid meter in power sector by 2021

The government would bring the entire power sector under prepaid metering system by 2021 as it would play a significant role to ensure transparency and accountability in use of this resource.

“We have a plan to introduce prepaid meter in the country against regular billing meter system, aimed at ensuring accountability and transparency in use and distribution of power,” state minister for power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid told BSS here today.

He said installation of the prepaid meter in the power sector would greatly help the consumers in getting relief from the existing billing system.

According to concerned officials, the BPDB would install as many as two crore prepaid meters across the country in phases, while it started to set up seven lakh prepaid meters in port city as part of the process.

Subscribers would be able to recharge their prepaid cards by going to the nearest vending stations and they would also be able to know their usage and remaining balance information from the stations, he said.

He said the prepaid metering system would ensure uninterrupted power supply and reach bill to consumers at the end of the month are the biggest challenges for the Power Ministry.

Talking to a consumer at Mirpur area in the capital, he appreciated the move for introducing prepaid metering system in the country and said this initiative would play a vital role in reducing the sufferings of consumers.

“Prepaid meters will help increase the revenue of the government as well and this is a turning point to improve services towards consumers,” the domestic consumer said.

Nasrul Hamid already inaugurated installation of prepaid meter in the port city yesterday aimed at reducing the sufferings of consumers, adding, “Now, our concentration is on improving the customers’ service.”

Earlier, the BPDB inked an agreement with Chinese firm ‘Hexing Electrical Company Ltd’ to implement the colossal project titled ‘Pre-Payment Metering Project for Distribution Southern Zone, (Chittagong Phase-1). Besides, 20,000 power subscribers in Agrabad and Khulshi areas of the port city were brought under the pre-paid billing system.

Source: bss