Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa has disclosed that 129,122 electricity users are at risk of blackouts due to their failure to upgrade prepayment Yaka meters.
For small and medium enterprises (SMEs) such as welders, hair salons, restaurants, and retail shops, the inability to load Yaka tokens could spell disaster.
Power disruptions could lead to complete shutdowns, lost revenue, potential layoffs, and increased costs for alternative power sources like generators.
Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa has disclosed that 129,122 electricity users are at risk of blackouts due to their failure to upgrade prepayment Yaka meters.
This follows the November 24, 2024, global Token Identifier (TID) rollover deadline, which mandates transitioning outdated prepayment meters to the updated Standard Transfer Specification (STS) technology.
"While 95.1% of meters for Umeme Limited and Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) customers have been upgraded, 112,000 Umeme customers and 17,122 UEDCL customers remain noncompliant.
Remarkably, Kalangala Infrastructure Services and West Nile Rural Electrification Company (WENRECo) have achieved 100% compliance, a milestone praised by the minister," Nankabirwa stated.
Local business owners have expressed concern over the situation.
"We understand the importance of upgrading, but the timeframe has been tight. Many of us are struggling to meet operational costs," said Simon Kasule, a barber in Kampala.
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He added, "If the government could extend the deadline, it would save us from potential losses."
Kasule's concerns are echoed by the Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA), which estimates that power outages cost businesses an average of UGX 30 million annually due to lost production and equipment damage.
Minister Nankabirwa emphasized the urgency of the situation.
"This upgrade is not optional. It is essential," she said.
To bridge the compliance gap, electricity distributors have deployed technicians to manually upgrade meters and ramped up public awareness campaigns via SMS and phone calls.
However, the ministry acknowledges that many unupgraded meters belong to unoccupied properties or customers bypassing meters illegally.
Failure to upgrade Yaka meters could exacerbate Uganda's electricity challenges, with urban access currently at 57% and rural penetration at 18%, according to Ministry of Energy data.
The TID rollover offers long-term benefits, ensuring a more efficient and secure electricity payment system.
For SMEs and households alike, complying with the meter upgrade is both a necessity and an urgent priority to avoid costly disruptions in the weeks ahead.
How to Check If Your Meter Is Upgraded
For customers unsure whether their meters are upgraded, the Minister provided simple instructions for verification:
- Conlog Meters: Press #005#. The result "r1:t2" indicates a non-upgraded meter, while "r2:t2" or "r2:t10" signals an upgraded meter.
- Hexing and Chint Meters: Press 873 and check the display. "01" signals a non-upgraded meter, while "02" indicates an upgraded one.
- Inhemeter Users: Press 873 and check the display. "01-02" means not upgraded, while "02-02" indicates the meter is upgraded.
