MEET THE STAFF SERIES

Meter Looping, Overloads Major Causes of Fire

Khalil Ibrahim, Makera Area Office

CCD: Khalil Ibrahim as the Energy Metering Supervisor for Makera Area Office, briefly highlight some of your responsibilities.

KI: A lot is involved in metering; starting from meter installations, meter maintenance for both Maximum Demand (MD) and Non-MD customers. 

For Non-MD customers, we have the Prepaid Meters (PPM) and the Credit Meters (analog) with their readings taken at the end of every billing period. 

Our PPM customers are being monitored from time to time in order to guard against meter bypass and tampering. 

CCD: There has been a lot of attention on the metering department lately, how are you coping with the pressure?

KI: One of the commonest challenges we are facing is the issue of meter tampering/ meter bypass. On our part, we have been working tirelessly to see that we proffer a lasting solution. Although to some certain extent we don't have control over what people do, that is why we place a lot of emphasis on inspection and where a customer is found to have tampered with or bypassed a meter, we apply the company's policy to ensure that the customer is disconnected and made to pay the mandatory fine.

CCD: What precautionary measures does a customer need to follow to safeguard a meter?

KI: Some of the highest number of complaints I have received is from Doka Area office, which is the area I cover, since the commencement of the mass meter deployment.

Shortly after the installations, we started getting reports of burnt meters especially the CONLOG. In most of the houses we find CONLOG meters, we replace them with new Elswedee meter which has reduced the cases of burnt meters.  

However, I would like to say that there are a lot of reasons responsible for a meter getting burnt which the customer needs to be aware of. For instance, the customer should ensure that there is a balanced load on his energy consumption or the load should be balanced on each phase. Customers should desist from looping; which is a common practice among some of our customers. Looping is a case where you have a 3-phase meter and all the 3 phases are looped on one phase; this is one of the major reasons meters get burnt.

CCD: What would you describe as your achievements since the deployment of new meters?

KI: Yes, we have recorded quite a few achievements. Our number one achievement was being able to install those meters in spite of the resistance of some of the communities. According to them, the meters are "running fast".  That was why sensitization was part of what we were doing. The next thing we have had to contend with is the issue of bypass, which we have been able to manage by constant monitoring and disconnection/penalty for customers caught compromising the meters. 

Also, we noticed an increase in revenue generation just from the first month of installation.

CCD: We are aware that efforts are being made by the company to improve billing and reduce losses. Are these efforts yielding results in Makera Area Office?

KI: We are doing our best especially by certifying the Credit Meters to ensure that they are in good working conditions. From our observation some of the meters are not working. That is why sometimes we use the alternative method of billing by doing a load assessment, do the calculations so the company will not run at a loss.

CCD: As a Metering Supervisor how do you manage your subordinates?

KI: We have a work schedule that enables us to go for monitoring, there is also a meeting/ briefing session for every member of the team. We also work as a family. Even though we are understaffed we have found a way to do the job in order for us to achieve more.

CCD: If you are opportune to sit with the management what will you advise them to do?

KI: If I am opportune to sit with the management, I will start by talking about the need for more staff in the metering department given that our work is very demanding.