As South Africa approaches a significant deadline regarding prepaid electricity meters, many users who have bypassed their meters or purchased illegal tokens from unauthorized vendors, known colloquially as "ghost" vendors, may soon face hefty penalties from Eskom or their local electricity distributors. The urgency for compliance stems from a critical update to the Key Revision Number (KRN), which is essential for the continued functionality of prepaid meters across the nation.

The looming deadline of 24 November 2024 marks the culmination of Eskom and municipalities' efforts to update all Standard Transfer Specifications (STS) prepaid meters. Post this date, any meter that has not been updated will not be able to accept new electricity tokens, potentially leaving users in the dark.

This update is necessitated by a date-bound security mechanism involving the token identifier number. This mechanism prevents the reuse of tokens by employing a timer that counts every minute from a specific start date. Initially configured under KRN version 1, this timer began counting from midnight on 1 January 1993, with a capacity to count up to 16,777,216 minutes. Recognizing the finite nature of this range, a system was put in place to update the KRN.

With the transition to KRN version 2, the timer now counts from 1 January 2014 and will eventually run out of range in 2045. This update is crucial for maintaining the integrity and functionality of the prepaid metering system.

Eskom has undertaken extensive measures to ready all affected prepaid meters in South Africa for this re-coding, a process referred to as "pre-coding." Once pre-coded, customers will receive two additional 20-digit codes with their subsequent electricity purchase from authorized vendors. These codes must be entered to increment the meter’s KRN version number, ensuring compatibility with new electricity tokens.




By late July 2024, the vast majority of Eskom's meters had been prepared to receive these crucial codes. However, as of 11 November 2024, Eskom's KRN rollover dashboard revealed that approximately 2.38 million out of its 6.9 million meters remained un-updated. This presents a significant challenge, with less than one week remaining until the final deadline.

The South African Local Government Association (Salga) has been actively involved in this update process for municipal meters. According to their dashboard, over 300,000 of the approximately 4 million municipal meters were still outstanding by 11 November 2024. This indicates a considerable number of users who may not meet the deadline, facing potential disruptions in their electricity supply.

For those who have circumvented the legal purchase of electricity through meter bypassing or acquiring tokens from ghost vendors, the consequences could be severe. Eskom and local distributors are poised to impose heavy fines on these users, reinforcing the importance of adhering to legal channels for electricity procurement.

The upcoming deadline serves as a critical reminder for all prepaid electricity users to ensure their meters are updated. Failure to do so not only risks service interruption but also exposes users to financial penalties.

As the 24 November deadline approaches, Eskom and local municipalities urge all users to verify their meters' updates promptly. By ensuring compliance, users can avoid potential fines and guarantee uninterrupted electricity service. The collaboration between Eskom, local distributors, and the community is vital for a seamless transition to the updated KRN system.

In the days leading up to the deadline, users are advised to purchase electricity from authorized vendors and carefully follow the instructions provided with their purchase to update their meters. With collective effort and awareness, South Africa can successfully navigate this crucial update phase, securing a stable and reliable electricity supply for the future.