The Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality is currently piloting a smart metering project in an effort to improve the City’s billing process.

According to the municipality the aim of the initiative is to manage electricity usage in a reliable, safe and cost effective way.

The project will see the municipality replacing old meters with smart meters capable of improving the accuracy and efficiency of billing.

Enterprise Program Management Office (EPMO) Project Manager Zanele Papa says the City is aiming to replace at least 200 industrial and commercial sites as part of the pilot phase within the current financial year following which the program will be rolled out to the masses.

“The project is a transversal contact (RT 15/2016) done by BCMM and is supported by the National Treasury for a period of three years. To date, 189 smart electricity meters has been installed and integrating to the BCMM’s billing system,” she highlights.

The municipality has set aside approximately R354 960 000 for the roll out of the new smart system and the audit of the electricity meters.  The project kicked off September 2016 and is expected to last until August 2020.

“The main benefits of the project for the consumer includes accurate billing, better monitoring of electricity consumption through a Mobile App and completeness of monthly billing,” Papa explains.

The Mobile App, known as SmartWire, has been developed for consumers to monitor their electricity consumption. The App allows consumers to view their electricity consumption in a 30 minute interval.