1. DATA SHEET: Prepayment
Prepayment
eMeter applications empower you and your customer
to become more energy efficient and financially secure.
eMeter Prepayment Support enables “Pay As You Go” for utilities, which is quickly becoming the standard for
utilities that want to provide added services for their customers, protect their bottom line, and fulfill regulatory
requirements. Prepayment Support builds on Smart meter reading capabilities, eMeter EnergyIP features and
applications such as workflows, Remote Connect / Disconnect, and Energy Engage Customer Portal. With eMeter
Prepayment Support you can:
Manage customers’ financial balances. Prepayment Support provides consumers energy credit using a
“top-up” payments system and sends low-credit notifications to the consumer when their balance approaches a
threshold. Debits are based on advanced rates and incorporate debt repayment plans to manage existing debts.
The Prepayment System records all financial balances over time, so that the consumer has a clear picture of
their credit situation.
Make your customers happy. Consumption transparency and the clear relationship between usage and price
on the customer UI empower customers financially and increases their ability to avoid debt.
Increase energy efficiency. Prepayment programs, in conjunction with clear communication about and cost in
a customer portal, have positive energy efficiency impacts and can result in a 10 to 15 percent energy savings.
Decrease write-offs. Low-credit notifications, automated connect / disconnect, and increased energy
efficiency among low-income clients decrease your write-offs and increase your financial certainty. Prepayment
Support automates meter disconnect and reconnects based on rules determined by the utility and regulators,
allowing you to mitigate loss from high risk customers.
Meet regulatory guidelines. Prepayment Support helps your utility meet regulatory guidelines and political
pressures to help low-income household manage bills. In an “Emergency Credit” situation, Prepayment Support
manages your release of credit and allows your customers to create debt repayment plans after the fact.
Supports meter-managed or central-managed model. Prepayment supports “thin” meters, where the
payment and connection parameters are stored centrally, and “thick” meters, where parameters are stored in
the meter.
Building Applications on a Strong Foundation
eMeter Applications run on our information platform, eMeter EnergyIP®, the industry’s leading MDM system,
which delivers information and automation in real-time to manage the Smart Grid. With eMeter’s modular design
you start fast, use only what you need, and incrementally scale to meet new requirements. You can add additional
applications as you need them, or have an application custom-built for your needs. eMeter EnergyIP allows you to
adapt to regulatory changes and capitalize on new technology or business opportunities, dramatically improving
operational efficiencies and customer service. eMeter provides the essential software that enables leading
electric, gas and water utilities worldwide to realize the full benefits of the Smart Grid, reducing operational costs,
increasing service reliability, boosting customer satisfaction, and driving energy efficiency.
© 2011 eMeter Corporation. All rights reserved.