NCR. Electricity Usage / Charges.

[Shebeen]

Firstly its a joke, the more units you buy (ie) bulk units, the more you pay, so if you buy 100-150 units you pay 90c per unit, 151-450 units costs 95c per unit, 450-700 units costs R1.15 per unit and 700 units upwards costs R1.20 per unit, and CITY POWER gets this money IN ADVANCE, which, in any normal business model, anywhere in the world, paying in bulk, in advance, would get you a better price - but not here boys, not here.!

 

Guess why this is?? - okay I'll tell you, poorer folk buy power in small amounts more regularly, us "wealthy" fellas prefer to buy power once a month in bulk, so we can naturally afford to pay more, not so.!??

 

ok, payment terms change from region to region, but the thinking is correct. It should be exactly the same with your water bill. The more electricity you use, the more expensive it should come per unit. It's a scarce resource, and if you want the luxury of being a high consumption user then you should damn well pay for it. If it's a problem, then have a look at what you're using and you'll find that it's cheaper to wear stokies than heat 120m^2 of underfloor heating.

 

false meter readings aside, pre-payment should be the way to go. It should be encouraged by the utilities, as it makes life easier for both parties. If you're in a region where it is cheaper to remain post-paid, then the utility needs to catch a wake-up call.

[Vuilgoed]

I stay in Kyalami Estates.

 

As I said they are allowed to guesstimate 3 consecutive months, but then have to do a reading. So 7 months, yeah, you have a right to be peeved.

 

Look, some folk swear by pre-paid, but I just think its a money making scheme, you pay for the meter, you pay a tariff every month to have the facility, you pay in advance and you pay more - I dont know, I just dont see the value.

 

I must admit, just getting the pre-paid meter installed is a bit of a ball-ache! First you have to pay R1800, then wait for 6-12 weeks before someone will contact you to arrange installation. Must be nice to have a job where service delivery is not an inherent requirement...

 

P.S. I live in Centurion. Strange how big the discrepancies are, even between Kayalami and Centurion.

[HeartCoppi]

I'd like to know how they measure my usage during "peak hours" and "off peak hours"

Do I have two meters running on timers?

 

I have been informed by council as follows:

Peak hours: 06h00 to 22h00

Off peak 22h00 to 06h00

 

The difference in the rate per kWh is about 40%

[Christopher Brunsdon]

I must admit, just getting the pre-paid meter installed is a bit of a ball-ache! First you have to pay R1800, then wait for 6-12 weeks before someone will contact you to arrange installation. Must be nice to have a job where service delivery is not an inherent requirement...

 

P.S. I live in Centurion. Strange how big the discrepancies are, even between Kayalami and Centurion.

 

Hell no, I'm staying in the Cape. Got a meter for my maid last year and she lives in the bundas. Went into Eskom the Monday and the Tuesday morning she was late as they where installing the meter and new wiring to three units (she and her family got one meter).

[Christopher Brunsdon]

I'd like to know how they measure my usage during "peak hours" and "off peak hours"

Do I have two meters running on timers?

 

I have been informed by council as follows:

Peak hours: 06h00 to 22h00

Off peak 22h00 to 06h00

 

The difference in the rate per kWh is about 40%

 

? You running 3 phase then?

[HeartCoppi]

? You running 3 phase then?

 

Yes.

Interesting comment you make. Please explain what comes into consideration

[shade]

just to let you know,I'm on Pre-Paid. And i buy via SMS , get an SMS and an email showing the transaction. No extra charges , and have emails for all electricity bought since staying in my house:)

 

www.energy.co.za Now www.paycity.co.za

[GrumpyOldGuy]

ok, payment terms change from region to region, but the thinking is correct. It should be exactly the same with your water bill. The more electricity you use, the more expensive it should come per unit. It's a scarce resource, and if you want the luxury of being a high consumption user then you should damn well pay for it. If it's a problem, then have a look at what you're using and you'll find that it's cheaper to wear stokies than heat 120m^2 of underfloor heating.

 

 

You dont understand the system.

 

Its really nothing to do with usage, its to do with purchases. I can buy 150 units every third day and pay 90 cents per unit, but because I prefer to buy 800 or more units once a month I must pay R1.20 per unit.!!!!

 

Wheres the sense in this.?

 

Please, dont give me the crap about "high consumption user" - nobody gave me a heated pool, nobody gave me underfloor heating, so because I worked hard for 35 years and made a bit of money to enjoy the benefits thereof I must now be predjudiced,in favour of some slapgat who sits under a tree all day cant afford the luxuries?.

 

Thats why this country will never be anything other than a Mickey Mouse economy, we predjudice those who work hard, gain wealth, pay taxes, give employment, contribute to upliftment and try make the place better - so instead of celebrating them like in the USA we give them a tray and pile 10 economic issues on it for them to carry through their working life.

 

Sorry, bud, I dont see why I must pay more than anybody else.

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I must admit, just getting the pre-paid meter installed is a bit of a ball-ache! First you have to pay R1800, then wait for 6-12 weeks before someone will contact you to arrange installation. Must be nice to have a job where service delivery is not an inherent requirement...

 

P.S. I live in Centurion. Strange how big the discrepancies are, even between Kayalami and Centurion.

 

Yeah, look every area has varying tariffs and costs, I paid R2200.00 for my meter and pay a monthly R90.00 fee - other areas have a differant monthly fee and like you say your meter is only R1800.00.

[Wannabe]

Been through the complex, same story everywhere. Most report almost double the units used charged, including a couple who has been away for two weeks during the period being billed.

I smell a turd, a big fat stinking turd

Tomorrow I'm gonna tackle the Letting Agency as well as PEC Metering. One of the residents said he actually asked PEC to be present when they take the meters, but they refused saying it is their property and no one else are allowed to look/see it. WHAT CRAP IS THAT!!!!!!

[HeartCoppi]

to be present when they take the meters, but they refused saying it is their property and no one else are allowed

 

 

This sounds horrible and people don't like to be refused if they have asked nicely, but this guy is doing his job and he/she is the only one authorized to enter a metering room.

Reason (1) prevent tampering (2) safety concerns

[Wannabe]

There is no metering room, only boxes between every five Townhouse units.

 

Still smelling a turd here!!!!!

[cat-i]

mine was almost 600 for last month. i was away 2 weekend in a row (long weekends) - i'm one person, have a fridge and computer that's running. geyser is broken so i switch it on 2 hours per day when i'm here. no tv, and very seldom use the stove. use the kettle a few times a day.

 

the leve for simply being connected to the grid incrased with more than 21% last month - that's before using anything (it's now around 300) ... it took me about 35 emails to find out what the 'levy' was for

 

 

apparently the prepaid meters also have these 'levies'??

 

 

benadeja - where can i get more info on these prepaid meters? who do i contact, what does it cost to install one - and could you recommend a company in joburg-area?

[HeartCoppi]

The point to keep in mind is that they are unable to maintain a discrepancy.

Soon the reading will recorded as the real value and be charged against the "last" reading

and you will be billed accordingly. It may be too soon to react.

 

Are you suggesting that they are jimmying the meter?

[cat-i]

The point to keep in mind is that they are unable to maintain a discrepancy.

Soon the reading will recorded as the real value and be charged against the "last" reading

and you will be billed accordingly. It may be too soon to react.

 

Are you suggesting that they are jimmying the meter?

 

in my case - no. i gt readings with usage, and that's quite accurate. the levy that i pays because i (sometimes) have electricity, is what gets me - there's no incentive to save on electricity, cos the almost full month that i was in nepal, and everything switched off at home, was still a pretty high charge just for the 'service fee' - apparently everybody pays this levy before they even pay a cent electricity? i can't remember paying it at my previous place, though

[GrumpyOldGuy]

mine was almost 600 for last month. i was away 2 weekend in a row (long weekends) - i'm one person, have a fridge and computer that's running. geyser is broken so i switch it on 2 hours per day when i'm here. no tv, and very seldom use the stove. use the kettle a few times a day.

 

the leve for simply being connected to the grid incrased with more than 21% last month - that's before using anything (it's now around 300) ... it took me about 35 emails to find out what the 'levy' was for

 

 

apparently the prepaid meters also have these 'levies'??

 

 

benadeja - where can i get more info on these prepaid meters? who do i contact, what does it cost to install one - and could you recommend a company in joburg-area?

 

Yeah, they do. Except its called a meter tariff.

 

In JHB you have to use the pre-paid meter company the council is connected to. You dont have a choice of dozens of companies, its only two I think,and it differs from say Emfuleni muncipality who use another company.

When I installed mine it cost R2200.00 for the meter plus installation, if you call the muncipal office closest to you they will tell you the metering company you can use - you dont have choices.