Electricity Disconnections

Most of us have experienced that sinking feeling when we answer the doorbell only to be confronted with the spectacle of a man bearing a clipboard, some rubber gloves, a set of screwdrivers and a pair of pliers.

Often this official from the pit of hell will tell you that he has been sent to check the meter and then when you grant him access he then proceeds to cut your umbilical cord to electricity.

“If you have a tenant on your property who does not settle their electricity account, leaving you with a huge arrears and disconnection then you have a solution – install a Straton Prepaid Electricity Meter just downstream of your credit meter,” says Straton Prepaid.

The NRS 047-1:2022 Guidelines around Electricity Disconnections may also be your saving grace though.

The guidelines around disconnections to electricity supply authorities are as follows:

no disconnections shall be effected until at least 14 days after the due date for payment stipulated on the account;
commercial and industrial customers shall be given at least 24 hours notice of an impending disconnection;
disconnections shall only be carried out up to 2 hours before normal closing time of the payment venue;
disconnections shall not be carried out over weekends, public holidays or Fridays (unless normal payment and reconnection facilities are available on Saturday mornings), or on the day before a public holiday; and
reconnections shall be effected as promptly as possible and no later than the first working day after the account has been settled satisfactorily and the reconnection fee has been paid.

The target average percentage success is at least 95 %.

Each Supply Authority is also encouraged to adhere to NRS 047-2:2001 and report on disconnections.

The National Rationalised Specifications (NRS) Association of South Africa guidelines outline the duties and conduct required of revenue protection personnel to ensure good revenue protection and, at the same time, maintain good customer relations and an acceptable service level.

These standards, developed by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) and other stakeholders, cover various aspects of electricity supply, including quality of supply, grid interconnection of embedded generation, and high-voltage operating regulations.