Zesa, Econet in prepaid and smart meter roll-out p...

Zesa, Econet in prepaid and smart meter roll-out partnership

Zim Now Writer

Power utility Zesa Holdings has partnered telecoms giant Econet Wireless Zimbabwe in the roll-out of its US$35 million prepaid and smart metering programme which is aimed at reducing debt risks that result from defaulting major electricity consumers.

The partnership will be implemented through the utility’s transmission subsidiary, the Zimbabwe Electricity and Transmission Distribution Company and Econet subsidiary, the Econet Business Solution.

The programme aims at installing 12 770 smart meters by June 2023, in a project that will ensure accurate billing, accountability, transparency and efficiency, as well as reducing technical and commercial losses.

The EBS Executive, Dr Jimmy Shindi, said Econet was excited about the partnership.

“We are confident that this partnership will build and leverage the strengths and assets of both companies to establish a more sustainable energy grid,” he said during the installation of the smart meter at Econet’s Msasa headquarters on Wednesday.

“We would like to work with Zesa in many other digital areas in the development of our economy. We believe that this relationship will not only benefit the two organisations but other stakeholders in the country as well,” he said.

ZETDC acting managing director Engineer Ralph Katsande, speaking at the same occasion, said the company embarked on smart metering to improve business performance and customer experience.

“This is a game-changing technology for us as a business and to our customers and partners. We are in a long-term win-win partnership with our customers. And today, we are happy to be with Econet who also more than a partner are, a consumer, but also as a player in the technology sector. We are excited that Econet has come on board, and I have no doubt that they will enjoy the benefits that come with this technology,” he said.

ZETDC’s smart and prepayment meter project manager, Engineer Wilfred Shereni, said smart meters allow for the achievement of energy-saving targets more efficiently.

“Smart meters track energy usage down to the unit, making billing more accurate and helping consumers keep a tight control of their spend, by ensuring they only pay for the electricity they actually use,” he said.

A smart meter has the capacity to record consumer usage in near real-time and, when paired with a computer, provides a view of previous usage so that customers can take swift action to avoid energy wastage.