City Power extends grace period for TID upgrades: What you need to know

City Power has reassured residents not to panic regarding the Token Identifier (TID) rollover deadline that came into effect on 24 November 2024 as it has announced measures to support customers who have not yet upgraded their prepaid meters, including extending the grace period for penalty-free upgrades to 30 November 2024.

To date, all vending prepaid customers have successfully upgraded their meters, ensuring uninterrupted access to electricity. However, a surge of previously non-vending customers has been observed at City Power’s Service Delivery Centres (SDCs) in areas such as Lenasia and Alexandra. Many residents sought assistance ahead of the deadline, prompting City Power to emphasize that help will remain available beyond the cut-off date.

City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena assured residents that their teams will continue to assist with meter upgrades. “We urge customers not to panic and rush to our offices today. Our teams will be on the ground from Monday, 25 November 2024, assisting with replacing and installing new meters,” he said.

For those unable to visit the SDCs in person, City Power has pre-generated key change tokens to facilitate remote upgrades. Residents can call City Power’s dedicated lines to provide their details, ensuring technicians can assist at their homes in the coming days. Customers are encouraged to contact City Power at 011 490 7484 or via the toll-free number, +27 80 020 2925, for assistance.

Additional measures include extending the functionality of municipal vending machines to generate key change tokens until 31 May 2025. This extension benefits customers who may have lost their tokens or missed earlier upgrade opportunities. However, customers with unconverted meters are reminded that these will cease to load electricity units until upgraded.

City Power also issued a warning to residents against fraudulent activities. Customers are urged not to pay technicians or contractors claiming to represent City Power. Suspicious activities can be reported to Security Risk Management at 0800 002 587.

The utility remains committed to ensuring a seamless transition for its customers and preventing any disruption in electricity services.