The Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA) has announced a mandatory upgrade for all prepaid electricity meters with consumers required to complete the process by October 30, 2024, to avoid service disruptions.

The upgrade process, which began today and continues until November 24th, is designed to update meters to a new global standard.

Consumers with existing STS Edition One (1) meters, which use 20-digit tokens, will need to switch to the new system. Failure to upgrade will render these meters unusable after October.

“This upgrade is crucial to ensure continued and efficient electricity service,” said EDSA Director General Joe-Lahai Sormana. “It’s not just a national effort, but a global standard that will be implemented worldwide.”

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Upgrading is a simple, free process. When purchasing a new electricity token, customers will receive a 60-digit number with separators every 20 digits. Using the meter keypad, consumers need to enter these numbers in segments of 20, waiting 15 seconds between each entry. A successful upgrade will display a “02” or “success” indicator on the meter.

Deputy Minister of Energy, Eldred Taylor, addressed the press conference, emphasizing the Ministry’s commitment to a smooth transition. He noted that Apator and Momas meters are incompatible with the new tokens and require replacement. EDSA encourages customers with these meters to visit EDSA offices for replacements.

Throughout the upgrade period, customers can continue purchasing tokens through familiar channels like telecom platforms (Qcell, Orange, Africell) and aggregators (Vendtech, Mercy Holdings, Lynx Solution). EDSA offices also remain open for token purchases.

EDSA urges customers to dedicate a short 10 minutes to complete the meter upgrade before the October 30th deadline.