Prepaid electric meters to replace traditional ones in 6 years

CAIRO - 15 July 2019: The Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy targets to substitute all 30 million traditional meters across the country with prepaid ones within 6years, Spokesperson AymanHamza said.

The ministry installs 2 million prepaid electric meters per annum. The spokesperson highlighted that demand for those meters is rising because the ministry introduced easier ways to charge the prepaid cards. The most recent of which is a mobile app. Previously, cards could be recharged at electricity distribution companies existing everywhere all over the country or through Fawry services for bill payments.

Prepaid meters were first introduced in 2014. They were installed for 3.75 million consumers by North Cairo Electricity Distribution Company by 2017.

Prepaid meters also serve in detecting informal businesses as they cut electricity when consumption exceeds the adequate capacity of 80-Ampere-devices installed in households. Electricity is permanently cut if this occurs for the third time until the company fixes the problem.

Those meters also cut electricity when attempts of opening the device forcefully take place.