Electricity Distribution Company Announces Prepaid Meter Upgrade 

The Management of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) plc has announced an upcoming upgrade for its Standard Transfer Specification (STS) prepaid meters to enhance efficiency and align with global standards.

The upgrade, known as Token Identification (TID) Rollover, aims to ensure the continued seamless operation of prepaid meters while maintaining customer satisfaction.

A statement signed by the Managing Director of IBEDC, Mr Kingsley Achife, said the upgrade,  scheduled to take effect from August 1, 2023, would involve the integration of a global software update into STS meters, making them compatible with the new TID Rollover protocol.

Achife stated: “This upgrade is imperative as, starting from November 24, 2024, all STS meters worldwide will cease to accept old credit tokens without the necessary meter upgrade. To facilitate a smooth transition, IBEDC will provide its prepaid meter customers with Key Change Tokens (KCT) alongside their regular energy tokens when purchasing electricity.”

He further explained that the KCT serves as a special ‘reset’ token and is crucial for the successful completion of the meter upgrade process, disclosing that obtaining the KCT is free of charge, and customers can upgrade their meters without any impact on the current electricity tariff.

In the statement, Achife advised customers to take note of the following important details during the upgrade period:

“Mandatory Upgrade: customers must upgrade their prepaid meters by sequentially entering the two KCT tokens (KCT1 & KCT2) and then the energy token, as provided by IBEDC.

“Expiry of Old Tokens: Effective August 1, 2023, old credit tokens will become obsolete. Customers must ensure that any unused or previously purchased energy tokens are loaded into their meters before this date.

“Credit Balance Preservation: The meter upgrade process will not affect the credit unit balance on the meter. Customers can rest assured that their balance will remain intact after the upgrade.

“One-Time Upgrade: The meter upgrade is a one-time process. Subsequent energy token purchases will continue as usual after the upgrade has been completed.

“IBEDC is committed to supporting its customers throughout this transition. Field officers will be available to assist customers and monitor compliance. “

When a meter fails to load energy tokens following the KCT upgrade, customers are advised to promptly contact ghd customer care at 07001239999 and email at customercare@ibedc.com or send messages to a WhatsApp number 07059093900.

Lateefah Ibrahim