MANUS INTO EASIPAY SYSTEM
PNG Power Ltd (PPL) is now converting credit meters in Manus to Easipay meters to make electricity service accessible and customer friendly. This conversion gives Manus customers full purchasing power and puts an end to credit meter billing issues many customers have faced for decades.
The Easipay conversion project in Manus began on 19 September and PPL will ensure all customers are converted to Easipay.
As of 28 September, 90 customers have been converted and now have Easipay meters in stalled in their homes. Manus have nearly 1,295 customers and PPL is looking at installing Easipay meters for all.
Customers in locations that have been covered include Lugos, and Wards 1- 7. Customers with nil arrears are getting Easipay meters while customers with outstanding bills are being disconnected. When they pay their full arrears, they will get Easipay meters and power reconnected.
Many customers have been flocking to the office to settle their arrears for Easipay and PPL Lorengau has recovered more than K500, 000 in September 2016.
PPL Manager Lorengau Mr Brian Masange said 48-hours’ notice was issued to customers and he was happy to see them going to the bank and office to settle their bills.
“Easipay is a win-win situation for both PPL and customers so let’s work together and have this Easipay rollout become a success,” Mr Masange said.
PPL Lorengau has been on manual billing system for many years and customer data update with PPL National Office (Port Moresby) was not done in real time. All customer meter readings, payments, new customer forms, receipt schedules and bill updates were done manually and took more time, leaving many customers frustrated in such cases where they settled their bills but still received outstanding notices.
PPL Easipay Administrator Mr David Kruga brought an end to this issue for Manus customers by establishing a new network connection between PPL Lorengau and National Office. From now on, all information updated in Lorengau will be updated in all systems in real time.
One of the new customers Mr Noel Bul said Easipay will help him budget for electricity expense because he will know how much to pay. He said with credit meter, he didn’t know how much he would pay at the end of the month.
“Sometimes I had to pay more and this affected my family’s budget. I am happy to get Easipay so I can be able to budget my salary on spending and have total control over my electricity consumption,” he said.
Customers in Manus can pay for Easipay credits at the PPL Lorengau office as well as via Digicel and BeMobil-Vodafone networks. They will also be able to pay at Papindo when a vending machine is installed next month.
Some customers in Manus expressed concerned that the Easipay system was associated to the biblical 666 prophecy and were scared to get Easipay meter. PPL advises the general public that the Easipay system is an improved billing technology adopted for customer convenience and customers must not be fooled by false concepts and teachings.
Customers in Manus can call the customer service hotline numbers 70908000, 76535216 or 76535272 for any information and assistance with Easipay or for any power issues.
