A total of 700,000 requests have been made to the online electricity services platform, since its activation at the beginning of July, by users looking to switch from traditional to code electricity meters.
The requests covered all nine of Egypt’s electricity distribution companies nationwide, including the Canal, Upper Egypt and Central Egypt electricity distribution companies.
The Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy said that the platform will continue to receive requests until the end of September, due to the large public interest. The platform has received about 60,000 visitors a day, through computer and mobile phone services.
The ministry also aims to provide an opportunity to those wishing to register their data on the electronic platform, set up by the ministry for this purpose.
Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker said that the electricity companies have put in place the measures needed to start installing meters for citizens as soon as the platform finishes receiving requests.
The companies will start reviewing the applications submitted, after which they will start implementing the measures needed for the units that meet the requirements in preparation for installing the code meters.
Citizens will be given the full support by Egypt’s electricity departments, until they obtain the full service.
Shaker said that the platform is receiving a large number of inquiries from citizens, which are being answered through its inquiries and complaints service. He also said that there is a real need for prompt, accurate and clear attention to respond to citizen inquiries and resolve their complaints.
Hossam Afifi, head of the North Cairo Electricity Distribution Company, explained that citizens are being provided with the facilities to install meters, in place of the currently applied system.
These facilities enable properties that do not have room for electrical transformers to obtain electricity, provided that the value of the indexation is paid, which includes a fee per kilowatt.
He added that any citizen can apply for and provide documents that indicate the presence of a current at their residential unit.
Afifi also said that code meters do not provide any advantage to the owner of the housing unit. It does, however, ensure that users are held accountable for their actual consumption rates, especially as many refuse to install the meter as they currently receive electricity almost for free.
He said that the installation of meters in slum areas will take about one year. A daily rate for installing the meters will be determined according to the requirements of the Holding Company.
This comes particularly as the installation work will be fast, as the majority of consumers already have electricity and the company has the full data on these customers. Measures will be taken to ensure the stability of the current they receive, and prevent neighbouring areas from being affected by the process.
