Perception of Household Consumers on the use of Electrical Energy Prepaid Meter in Bwari Metropolis

Abstract

ABSTRACT Prepaid metering system is a method of billing system whereby the consumers pay for electricity before consumption. The study assessed the perception of household electrical energy consumers on the use of prepaid meter in Bwari Metropolis. Two research questions were formulated. Descriptive research design was adoptedfor the study. Questionnaire was the sole instrument used for the study. The population of the study was 3200 head of housed hold that are connected to distributed network and are using prepared meter. Purposive sampling was used to sample 320 household. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions. The instruments were validated by three experts in electrical and electronics technology education and electrical and electronics engineering. The reliability coefficient obtained was 0.92. Out of 320 questionnaires administered 306 were retrieved which indicated 95.6% returned rate. The findings that emerged among others are: consumers do not find it easy to buy prepaid meter,they prefer prepaid meter over post-paid meter billing system, electrical appliances are used based on demand and electricity consumption is high. The following recommendations were made among others: The consumers both residence, industrial and commercials should be engaged in using electrical energy saving appliances, tools and equipment in order to reduce the high rate of electricity consumption. Government should make a way of subsidize the cost of prepaid meter, so that both the low income can have access to it.