Latest update April 23rd, 2024 12:59 AM
Nov 02, 2014 News
By Leonard Gildarie
We have spoken before about pre-fab housing and the possibilities locally. Quite frequently in the last few years, however, the favourite topic in the air has been hydro power and the need to have cheap electricity.
Owning a home automatically comes with expenses like maintenance and water and electricity bills. Whether you are building or renting, a meter for electricity is a must. You are allowed to build a “temporary” meter when the home is under construction. The temporary here means you are expected to remove it after the home is completed. Many people keep it for a few years. I can’t emphasise how dangerous this is.
The temporary meter is there for the power saws and other work that necessitate the use of electrical tools. In all likelihood the temporary meter will be the same one attached to the home after it is completed. It is a circuit board with outlets, a main switch and eventually the meter which GPL contractors will install. A certified electrician will help you build one and get the necessary permits that GPL will need to approve the application for a temporary.
Post paid meters are essentially a thing of the past. As far as I am aware, all new residential customers are getting the prepaid meters. This new technology was introduced to Guyana just around four years ago and about a fifth of the homes on the coast (about 30,000) are already equipped with them.
It costs about $10,000 to apply for one. It is estimated that around 1,200 of these meters are being installed monthly, in both the new housing schemes and other areas.
Under new regulations, GPL once it has received an application with all the necessary documentation, has to provide service within 14 working days or face penalties from the regulator – the Public Utilities Commission.
DANGER!
After you would have completed construction on the new home, you have to apply to have a meter attached to the home. It means that an electrician will have to issue you a certificate of inspection which says your home has been wired according to accepted regulations. Wiring, to protect it, has to be installed in a particular manner. I know that many owners, to save cost, would place the wires in the concrete walls and cover it up. Imagine having to break a wall open to fix a wire. Stupid problem, huh?
In the ceiling, the wires are often also left exposed. It is recommended these be contained in special PVC pipes to protect them. God forbid if there are rats. Some of the electrical wires being sold are inferior. This is important. Ask the electrician. It will cost more, but it is a process that should not be ignored.
After you would have received your certificate of inspection of the completed home, you have to apply to have the meter transferred to the home. Again, this should not take more than 14 working days.
Now, the big question that has been playing on everybody’s mind is the benefits of the prepaid meter over the post paid.
GPL says that the prepaid requires customers to make advance payments before electricity is used. Locally, we call it buying credit. There are no monthly bills with these and you can only be disconnected if you don’t have enough credit, similar to the operations of your GT&T or Digicel phone.
Under the old post paid metering system, GPL would charge customers $3,200 as a reconnection fee. There are none with the prepaid. With the prepaid, GPL says customers can monitor their usage and avoid the long lists of and lines for complaints. Both GPL and the customer save, as there is no paperwork for disconnection or reconnection for prepaid.
The big advantage for GPL is that homeowners are more energy conservative with the prepaid meters. Part of the meter is attached to the home while another part way up on the power post. The system is designed to reduce electricity theft, I am told.
According to the power company, the application process for a prepaid is a simple one. You need photocopies of your ID or passport; transport or bill of sale or tenancy agreement; certificate of inspection from Government Electrical Inspector, Ministry of Works; and a completed application form.
GPL says that many homeowners panic after getting no power. In almost all the cases, the customer has run out of credit. In most other cases, there are issues with the wiring of the home.
Regarding the costs, GPL reportedly has said that when compared, and taking overhead expenses into consideration, the costs of electricity of using a prepaid works out about the same as a post-paid.
There are some words of caution I would want to say here. Wiring of the home is a critical part of the building process. The electrician must coordinate with the contractor. It is not a ‘slap-dash’ affair. One fire and it is all gone. With the electricity situation still not 100%, pay attention to this detail so that when it comes to managing electricity, attention can be paid to other important things.
Enjoy your week and don’t forget to drop your comments or suggestions to [email protected].
LISTEN HOW JAGDEO WILL MAKE ALL GUYANESE RICH!!!
Apr 23, 2024
Kaieteur Sports – Over the weekend, the prestigious Lusignan Golf Club played host to the highly anticipated AMCHAM Golf Tournament, drawing golf enthusiasts and professionals alike from across...Kaieteur News – Just recently, the PPC determined that it does not have the authority to vitiate a contract which was... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Waterfalls Magazine – On April 10, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]