In Zimbabwe, many homeowners and businesses rely on prepaid meters to closely manage power consumption and expenses. ZESA has announced that all prepaid meters will soon require a mandatory software upgrade. In this article, we provide an in-depth look at this upcoming meter upgrade. We will explain why ZESA is requiring this, how the upgrade will be performed, what steps customers need to take, and what risks there may be. With a bit of planning and understanding, Zimbabwean electricity users can smoothly transition through this meter upgrade process.
Though the reasons behind the upgrade are quite technical, they boil down to limitations in the current meter software. We will break this down in easy-to-understand terms, so you know exactly why your meter needs upgrading. Our goal is to ensure all ZESA prepaid meter users are fully informed and equipped to handle this change. Keep reading for plain language explanations and practical guidance to make the meter upgrade as seamless as possible for your home or business.
ZESA is upgrading prepaid meters because the software that generates the tokens has a limit on the dates it can recognize. This limit will be reached on November 24, 2024. After that date, the current software will not be able to generate valid tokens. The upgrade will reset the software’s date limit, giving us another 30 years of use.
No, you don’t need a new meter. The upgrade is just a software update that will be done remotely.
When you purchase electricity tokens, you will receive 3 additional token sets for the upgrade. Enter each 20-digit token set one by one into your meter after confirming each one was accepted before entering the next. The order of entry matters. Once all 3 upgrade tokens are entered, your regular electricity token can be entered and will load successfully.
Entering the tokens in the wrong order will cause the upgrade to fail. Start over by entering the upgrade tokens again in the correct order provided.
The upgrade changes the encryption keys in the meter, so existing unused tokens will become invalid. Use up any unused tokens before performing the upgrade.
Unfortunately, any unused tokens still in your meter when the upgrade is done will be lost and cannot be recovered or refunded.
Yes, the upgrade token sets will be included automatically whenever you purchase electricity from any vendor.
You will still receive the 3 upgrade token sets electronically to enter into your meter.
The upgrade is being done in phases across different areas. Wait for announcements from ZESA on when your area will be upgraded
The upgrade is required for all prepaid meters manufactured before 2014. Chances are you are running an upgraded meter.
It’s best to stagger your purchases so you can receive the upgrade tokens over multiple purchases, rather than all at once.
Make sure to enter all your old unused tokens first. Then take a photo of your meter. Finally, enter the three tokens.
You can contact ZESA’s 24-hour contact centre for assistance with the upgrade.
I think I did it wrong and now the meter says
Pad lock,how do I fix it ,omg this is so annoying
Contact ZETDC for assistance.
Am having a problem l don’t know if it’s the meter l’ve bought electricity but when l try to load it says error it’s been 2 weeks without electricity can you please my sisters have been to the offices but they didn’t get any help
Good day, please get in touch with your nearest ZESA depot for assistance.
I have contacted your offices & they have told me that someone has been assigned to faulty problem of the meter,which is failing to top up…its been 4 days now without electricity
Good day. Please note that we are Zimpricecheck and not ZESA. We do write guides we hope are useful and provide you with this information as is but if you need assistance you need to get in touch with ZESA support. The best way is to either contact the national centre or to visit your nearest ZESA depot.