Kenya Power yesterday, 5 September 2012, launched the second phase of the pre-paid system that will see pre-paid meters installed to customers countrywide, with the company planning to connect 520,000 customers to the new system by June 2013.
The pre-paid systems, launched in 2009 as a pilot phase project in Nairobi, will see customers buy electricity tokens, top up their pre-paid meters to get electricity.
Those currently under the post-paid system and have outstanding bills we’ll be forced to clear their bills as Kenya Power targets to recover outstanding debts on electricity bills through the pre-paid system.
As quoted in the Daily Nation, Kenya Power CEO, Joseph Njoroge said, “Prepaid billing eliminates bad debts because consumers pay upfront for power. Those with arrears will have their bills transferred to the prepayment system and on subsequent purchase of electricity. A portion of the payment will be deducted and used to reduce the debt until it is fully recovered.”
The pre-paid system has so far been rolled in a few major towns such as Mombasa, Kisumu and Nyeri.