KUCHING: Sarawak Energy and its operations and retail arm, Syarikat SESCO Berhad (SESCO), are focused on resolving issues related to concerns that customers have raised in social media over a sudden increase in their first electricity bill following the installation of smart meters.
In a statement, Sarawak Energy explained that during any meter replacement process, including installation of smart meters, the final reading of the replaced meter is recorded as it registers the actual consumptions of the consumers.
"The difference between this final actual reading, and estimated readings in Sarawak Energy’s system will be corrected accordingly.
"This results in a one-time billing adjustment to offset against prior long term estimated reading by Sarawak Energy,” explained Sarawak Energy’s Vice President for Retail, Ng Shou Fui.
Following the meter replacement, customers may experience noticeable drops or significant increases in their bills as they are adjusted from estimated readings to actual readings. These one-time adjustments are due to the previous conventional meter's estimated readings.
Customers with long-term overestimated bills will see a noticeable decrease, while those with long-term underestimated bills will experience a significant increase.
Since its pilot rollout in 2019, about 93,000 units of smart meters have been installed in Kuching, approximately 38 per cent of the capital city’s 245,061 customer account holders.
Customer bills are estimated when Sarawak Energy meter readers are unable to access the meter due to locked gates or when meters are installed in locations such as side walls or inside customer premises, obstructing visual readings.
Smart meters address this issue by enabling remote monthly readings of actual consumption, eliminating the need for prolonged estimated bills while future bills will reflect real-time usage and ensure timely billing.
“The changeover to smart meters is in line with global technological advancements, with meters calibrated to meet accuracy limits in compliance with international standards.
"These digital features offer several benefits to customers, including faster outage detection and restoration, as well as self-monitoring to better manage electricity consumption,” said Ng.
Additionally, smart meters will allow customers to monitor their electricity usage through the SEB cares mobile app or web portal.
This feature is targeted for release by the end of the year, enabling customers to self-monitor and manage their consumption more effectively, helping to avoid wastage and potentially reduce costs.
“To assist customers in managing previous unbilled charges, Sarawak Energy offers flexible instalment payment plans. Our Customer Service Counter is ready to help customers arrange these instalments, ensuring a more manageable approach to settling any billing adjustments.
“We will also actively engage with the local community leaders and residents to offer a platform for customers to seek clarification about smart meters and address any billing concerns,” Ng added, informing that a committee will be formed within Sarawak Energy to manage the rollout, ensuring communities are engaged before installation and handling all
matters related to smart meters. -UKASnews
