NAWEC Initiates Global Standard Cash Power Meter Upgrades
By Mariama Dem
In a proactive move to meet the global standard transfer specification, the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) has unveiled a mission to upgrade cash power meters. With a looming deadline of November 24, 2024, this initiative is especially critical for The Gambia, which subscribes to the Standard Transfer Specification. The goal is to ensure uninterrupted access to electricity for consumers by generating new tokens and upgrading existing meters.
NAWEC’s Managing Director, Nani Juwara, affirms that this process won’t entail meter replacements, providing consumers with a one-month window to transition seamlessly to the new standards.
The current software for all prepaid electricity meters in the world will expire on November 24, 2024, according to the Standard Transfer Specification, to which The Gambia is subscribed to. Therefore, all prepaid meters must be upgraded to meet the global standard transfer specification in the electricity sector, or consumers won’t be able to recharge their meters.
According to Nani Juwara, Managing Director of NAWEC, as the Token Identifier, known as the TID Rollover event fast approaches, NAWEC is fully prepared to meet the November 24, deadline.
Managing Director Juwara explains that the process is meant to help utilities secure their revenue and NAWEC is no exception.
He emphasized, “We are within the standard transfer specification family, which is a standard that all meters produced by any manufacturer must comply with this specification. The STS complaints have to do with tokens being generated by our vending systems that can go in any meter, therefore, as such the STS has a timeline for tokens that meters can accept like any other software developer, and they will require an upgrade”.
Juwara stressed that “The STS has notified all utilities around the world that the tokens that are being used now generated from our vending system will not be accepted by our meters by 24th November 2024 latest. Hence, we have to endeavor to upgrade the existing meters we have to be able to accept our vending system within the time frame”.
Regarding concerns about the new upgrading system, Juwara assured that this process will not require changing or replacing existing meters.
“It’s a straightforward process; you do not need to pay anybody, whether they claim to be NAWEC staff or not. If someone asks for money to upgrade your meter, please call NAWEC at 1669, and appropriate action will be taken immediately.”
Ebrima Y. Jobe, the project manager, stated that the implementation will occur in phases, starting with NAWEC staff and extending to various regions.
During the project’s implementation, customers are urged to enter their token purchases under upgraded meters within one month to prevent the loss of pre-purchased units.