Prepaid electricity meters gaining acceptance

Muscat: More and more apartment owners in Muscat are installing prepaid meters in their flats, which have been also welcomed by the tenants.

With the electricity bills expected to increase during the summer months after the introduction of a new tariff, prepaid meters will help customers rationalise their usage.

"Conventional electricity meters, however smart, have their drawbacks. While tenants are generally not convinced of the amount mentioned in the bills, they also ignore wastage of electricity by taking precautionary measures," said an apartment owner who has started installing bills in all his flats in Muscat.

We also have another issue here: "Some people vacate flats without clearing their bills, leaving a heavy burden on us under these circumstances. With prepaid meters, it is a win-win for both sides. Tenants do have to worry about clearing pending dues while shifting or vacating homes."

According to sources, buying credit for your prepaid meter at utility company outlets and also at retail shops and petrol stations.

"With prepaid meters, users will pay for electricity as per the usage, instead of paying monthly bills. It will be easier for customers to budget for their electricity needs alongside other household bills," said Ramez, whose landlord installed a prepaid meter recently.

When the credit reduces to RO2, a low volume warning sound for two minutes alerting the customer of low balance.

Customers will have to access an emergency credit facility in case they cannot get to the shops to buy credit.

But not all customers are convinced of the prepaid meters. "I agree that it will help us keep track of our monthly spend but do we really have cards available at fuel stations and shops like phone recharge cards. Do we have to travel to places to get a card?"

A few residents and citizens told the Observer that the online recharge of meters will be ideal in the current situation because apart from new tariffs not all tenants are honest when it comes to clearing bills.