SARAWAK Energy will conduct a feasibility study next year to assess the viability of introducing a prepaid electricity billing system for consumers statewide.
Deputy Minister for Utility (Sarawak Energy and PETROS) Datuk Ibrahim Baki said the study would form the basis for a pilot project in 2027 involving selected customer segments to evaluate the system’s practicality and potential challenges.
He said Sarawak Energy had earlier started a market survey on available prepaid metering systems and reviewed several prepayment methods with potential service providers to determine compatibility with the smart meters currently being deployed.
“This study and pilot project will address potential challenges in implementing the prepayment system, particularly in areas with low or unstable telecommunications network coverage,” he said when responding to Adam Yii Siew Sang (GPS–Pujut) in the DUN today.
Yii had asked whether the ministry or Sarawak Energy had explored a prepaid billing system or planned any pilot programmes to study its benefits for consumers.
In a supplementary question, Yii asked about the progress of smart meter installation.
Ibrahim said deployment had reached 25 per cent and was expected to achieve 70 per cent coverage by 2030.
He added that the prepaid feature within smart metering was expected to benefit consumers through better control over electricity usage, improved budgeting and greater convenience through flexible payment options.
