Several Libyan media sites reported that the Media Department of the General Electricity Company of Libya (GECOL) said GECOL had installed 378,000 prepaid meters so far across Libya.
GECOL said this has led to a decrease in consumption during the meter installation period by 210 megawatts (MW) compared to the same period last year.
Unchecked consumption had caused a supply crisis
This, GECOL noted, had come after electricity consumption had entered a phase of endless extravagance in previous years that had caused a crisis in the electricity network and increased maintenance costs.
Millions saved due to prepaid metres
The 210 megawatts that have decreased so far after installing the meters were, GECOL said, wasted and this number means millions of dollars in fuel and gas were wasted and lost due to not rationalizing consumption.
Change of culture
It pointed out that there were shops, facilities and others that used to close at night and leave all the lighting and air conditioning on – but now have abandoned this behaviour after installing prepaid meters.
Prepaid metres are the only solution to rationalising consumption
GECOL said prepaid electricity meters are the only way to rationalize consumption and are the optimal and fair solution for the citizen, the state and the network.
More than 2 million prepaid metres to be installed
It revealed that it is proceeding with the plan to install more than 2 million meters that include every home, shop, farm, factory and institution. GECOL also revealed that it will soon launch a phone application for services and reports and recharging the balance through it.
Prepaid electricity metres pilot scheme launched in March 2023
It will be recalled that in March 2023, GECOL launched a pilot project to install prepaid card electricity metres. The pilot project had started in the Tripoli district of Zawiet Al-Dahmani.
GECOL had said the pilot project came within the context of developing consumer services, diversifying the methods of revenue collection, reducing commercial waste and billing, and in light of the lack of capabilities, the country’s deficit in power generation and the excessive public consumption of electricity.
GECOL launches prepaid electricity metres pilot project (libyaherald.com)
