Development of a research framework for prepayment metering reliability

Eskom´s Technology Research and Investigations Division (TRI) undertakes research for the ultimate benefit of Eskom´s mission. Due to the scale of Eskom´s electrification programme (over 1 million completed household connections and a target of 300000 per annum) the reliability of the watthour meter located on the customers premises is critical to the success of this programme. Eskom has conducted metering research for the last 5 years. Past research experience, coupled with an increasing household connection rate and a downward push on costs, demands a review of the approach to electricity metering research. This revised approach, which spans the period 1996-1998 is the subject of this paper