SKELEC continues to improve its service

ZIZ News…Sept 28, 2012 — As a measure of providing accurate and on-time billing along with lowering our losses, SKELEC is continuing to improve its Meter Audit exercise.

The audit will allow the Company to collect accurate consumer information, along with proper data about our meters, such as how it is functioning, is it located in an easy to access area that makes it convenient for our meter readers to read and inspect. Consumer data such as name and address, and if this information is correct, along with the verification of an recent electricity bill against what we have in our system are important in making sure that we are correctly billing the correct consumer as per their meter and electricity usage.

The Company, would also be able to assess each meter performance as according to The Electricity Act section 27, which explains that all meters should be ‘in proper working order, correctly registering the consumption within the limits of error as prescribed in accordance with the Public Utilities Act. Also SKELEC as the Supplier of Electricity reserves the right under the Electricity act section 28 which states in summary that any person who damages, willfully damages a meter or has any connection without the direct consent of SKELEC will be liable for a fine not exceeding $10,000 or one year in imprisonment.

SKELEC would like to hereby extend out an olive branch to anyone that is engaging in the unauthorized use of electricity (U.U.E), and will have two weeks from this publication date to cease from doing so. Consumers may call our offices for our technicians to come out and assess such connections or disconnect from any connections. After such period fines will be charged on any consumer who engages in the inappropriate use of electricity supply without the implicit consent of SKELEC. Unauthorized use of electricity includes, having your service disconnected , yet still connected to the grid by un-authorized connections, by-pass the meter, connecting to another consumers supply. All consumers should be connected to SKELEC supply via SKELEC official connection.

When the Company implements a new AMI (Automatic Metering System), the meters and its information system will notify SKELEC of any unauthorized use or tampering of electricity usage. Therefore, all consumers are asked to make sure that they are connected to the SKELEC grid via the proper rules and regulations without SKELEC having to follow-up per the guidelines set forth in the Electricity Act.

The Company is also asking for full cooperation by the public. So far the response has been positive and the company would like for this trend to continue. The process is no way solely to seek out the illegal use of electricity, but is instead to verify that the SKELEC consumer database is correct, meters are working correctly and to cut back on system losses that ultimately impact all of our consumers with higher rates. With the completion of this process consumers will see an improved billing system that would provide consumers with speedier bills and payment options.