METERING CUSTOMERS

TANESCO customers use two types of meters which are:

• Pre-paid Metering System (LUKU)

The name LUKU is a Kiswahili abbreviation for “LIPA UMEME KADIRI UNAVYOTUMIA” which means “pay for electricity as you use it”. The modern LUKU meters are becoming extremely popular because customers can purchase electricity like any other product such as matchboxes or candies; customers can plan and budget for electricity usage; they can control the amount of electricity they use; can embark on voluntary conservation, and can purchase their electricity at any convenient sales point. LUKU meters are predominantly installed in Dar es Salaam, where they are 31 contracted vendors. Other areas where LUKU meters have been rolled out are Arusha, Dodoma, Shinyanga and Mara regions. The software has been designed mainly for residential and commercial consumers, not industrial type.

Luku is a prepayment metering system, which improves customer service by offering the customer the following advantages:

• Purchase of electricity like any other consumer product




• Plan and budget for electricity usage




• Control the amount of electricity used




• Reduce electricity consumption by embarking on voluntary conservation




• Purchase their electricity at convenient sales point

The system, which was established in 1995, consists of prepayment electricity meter, point of sale vending equipment, a PC based financial administration package (System Master Station or SMS) and complementary service equipment. There are 32 LUKU vending stations in Dar es Salaam from where LUKU users can purchase their electricity.

• Credit meters (conventional meters).

These meters allow for customers to be billed after consuming electricity for a month. TANESCO staff reads the meter towards the month end, produces the bill and dispatch it to the customer for payment.