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NCR. Electricity Usage / Charges.


Wannabe

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I am fuming, smoke coming out of my ears. I just received my August Electricity account from PEC Metering, and it is a total shocker. My account for this month is R1066.27, with a useage of 908 units. For July it was 937 units, but Rand value was slightly less because increased tariffs were not in place yet. June was 724 units, April and May were both the same at 409 units.(strange to have two months exactly the same)

 

The more I tried to explain to the lady working with the accounts that it is impossible for two people staying in a small townhouse (no kids) to use that much electricity,(we do not have an electric stove, we use a gas heater, do not use a tumble drier, both shower once a day, etc) the more she kept on saying the prices increased. I can not get her to understand that I do not contest the increase in tariffs, but the totaly out of context units used. I mean, we do not use more electricity, as there is nothing in our place to use more electricity with. The argument about it being winter does not carry any water, AS THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN USE THAT MANY UNITS.

To get them to come and test the meter will cost me R400.00, only refundable if there is a problem with the meter.

 

What can I do, can not go on like this. This increase in consumption is totaly impossible. Next month it surely will be even more.

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Could you have your own meter installed at the DB? And then see what their usage is compared to your readings?

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Cost!!! The meter there is locked, so I can not even check and monitor it myself. This is also a rental unit.

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What can I do, can not go on like this. This increase in consumption is totaly impossible. Next month it surely will be even more.

 

Think about it, there is not much the call centre operator can do when faced with such a query.

The increase in consumption you mention would be within the norm of a typical household's increased winter usage.

All she can propose is that your meter be tested.

 

Having two readings in consecutive months the same is possible. Meters are not necessarily read every month & estimates can be used.

 

As a starting point you can find your meter & take some readings and cross correlate with the figures you see on your monthly bill.

This will also help you to determine your daily / weekly usage averages.

 

Hope you get it sorted.

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You might think of keeping a spread sheet for monthly usage and charges, that way you can provide a quick refrence for yourself and the council. I started when I covered my pool for winter and turned down the pool motor timer just to see if it made any difference, interesting results.

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Because they (the meter readers) are so unreliable out here (and also because no-one is coming on this property unless I am home due to the dogs), we phone in and email our meter readings each month, but we are buying straight from Eskom and not from City Power or whoever controls it it the cities.

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Cost!!! The meter there is locked, so I can not even check and monitor it myself. This is also a rental unit.

 

Make it your landlords problem, seriously. When ever we have issues with PEC at my wifes work we give the landlord grief.

 

But also check to see what outside lights might be connected to your box. This happened with us. Forgot to load with prepaid and then came home one night to see half the lights outside the block of flats not working. Turned out I was paying for it. (Moved to another unit shortly afterwards so problem resolved)

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the increases sucks!

before 01/07 , was

53.90 c/unit Domestic Low , plus 50 free units

 

now

 

93.31 c/unit Domestic Low , NO Free Units

 

:(

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Make it your landlords problem, seriously. When ever we have issues with PEC at my wifes work we give the landlord grief.

 

But also check to see what outside lights might be connected to your box. This happened with us. Forgot to load with prepaid and then came home one night to see half the lights outside the block of flats not working. Turned out I was paying for it. (Moved to another unit shortly afterwards so problem resolved)

 

YOU moved?? i would've made them 'move' funds into my account :)

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YOU moved?? i would've made them 'move' funds into my account :)

 

Lets just say that at our block we don't complain about such things. We are paying R3100 for a large 2 bedroom unit including garage where a similar flat around the block is R5K.

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the increases sucks!

before 01/07 , was

53.90 c/unit Domestic Low , plus 50 free units

 

now

 

93.31 c/unit Domestic Low , NO Free Units

 

:(

 

Agree. My bill went from R250 to R600 this year.

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Funnily enough this just came into my email box:

 

On ESI-Africa dated 29th of April 2010 - President Jacob Zuma has called on South Africans to save energy in an effort to avoid the load-shedding that plunged the country into darkness in 2007 and 2008.

 

“As we continue to look for other alternatives to save energy, let me remind all that we must continue to save electricity. We must switch off our appliances when they are not in use. Let us share this responsibility as citizens of this country and electricity users." said Zuma.

 

In the region of Gauteng in April and May large areas have suffered from further electricity blackouts, notably the East Rand in Johannesburg. It is now obvious that Eskom is still not managing to meet the high demand for electricity. As the winter weather closes in, so does higher electricity demand due to electrical heaters and warming devices, which means more electricity blackouts if we don’t do something about our electricity usage.

 

That said, even if electricity blackouts are not affecting you directly, the new prices definitely will. The increases announced in February 2010 will total to 75.8% from 2010 to 2013. This is without the increase of 31% last year, which will take the increases in electricity up to a staggering 106.8%.

 

If not the load-shedding, then the price of electricity is forcing us all consumers to start thinking of cutting down on use or at least making usage of electricity more efficient. Taking responsibility means that it is time to seriously start looking at managing our electricity consumption. To start saving we must start measuring our electricity consumption, because we can’t save something we can’t measure.

 

You can save 20%-40% on your electricity bill. To start saving we suggest you start measuring your electricity consumption with electricity monitors and make modifications to you consumption so that you can reduce your bills and help us all, just maybe save on having to endure winter blackouts.

 

To learn more visit: www.ElectricityMonitor.co.za .

 

To learn more on saving energy read also: 6 Easy Ways to Save on Your Electricity Bills

 

Electricity Increases as published in the media from our last article:

 

• 2010/11: 24.8%. This makes the average Eskom electricity price for post paid meters 41.31c per kWh.

• 2011/12: 25.1%. This makes the average Eskom electricity price for post paid meters 51.68 c per kWh

• 2012/2013: 25.9%. This makes the average Eskom electricity price for post paid meters 65.06c per kWh

 

And Remember: You can't save what you can't measure.

If you can measure it, you can manage it and start saving.

 

Promoting Sustainable Use of Energy - www.ElectricityMonitor.co.za

Electricity Monitor Team,

Tel: 087 5500 870

Fax: 086 578 1851 (SA Only)

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Lucky you!!!! Eskom did not read my meter for 277 days and then sent me a bill for R15,000. I paid what I believed was due every month but clearly not even close.

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Lucky you!!!! Eskom did not read my meter for 277 days and then sent me a bill for R15,000. I paid what I believed was due every month but clearly not even close.

get a pre-paid meter!

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Wannabe, you don't say if you stay in a complex or free standing house. If it is a free standing house open the meter box and see if the meter match the readings on your account. They should have opening and closing readings on there. If it is a complex you should have access to the meters via the body corporate. What normally happens here the readers are lazy and read one meter and enter the same reading for all the complexes units. Then you can verify if the readings correspond with your account. Also if in a complex flip the trip switch in the unit and then check your meter. If it is still running the body corporate need to sort it. There might be something else connected to your meter.

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