Nairobi — Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) has launched a new and more efficient billing system branded E-Bill, which will allow customers to access information on their account electronically.

Customers will be required to send an e-mail query to bills@kplc.co.ke with the first five digits of their account number, said Mr Jasper Oduor, KPLC managing director.

Reply by e-mail

An electronically generated mail reply, will then be sent detailing the full account number, name of the account holder, amount due as well as the deadline date for payment. This billing system allows the account holder to monitor how much he owes.

E-Bill, is part of KPLC's new product development strategy, which is meant to streamline the company's billing and payment procedure. Customers now have the option accessing their account details immediately. "KPLC has come a long way in the implementing new avenues of communication to ensure that our customers can get the information they require from us at any time," added Mr Alfred Sambu, Chairman, KPLC.

"The company has continued to seek new ways of enhancing customer satisfaction through various products and partnerships," he said.

The company has verified that the E-Bill system will be implemented alongside the existing billing system. Customers who have access to E-Bill will still continue to receive their electricity bill by post.

"At KPLC we have embraced technology, we are aware that many Kenyans are e-competent," said Mr Odour. "There are over a million e-mail addresses via hotmail, yahoo and others. For those with e-mail addresses, this service is most suitable."

Long queues of customers asking for copy bills at KPLC's banking halls are expected to reduce with the introduction of the E-Bill service.