New EasypowOr Prepaid Vending system goes live
11.02.03

With the beginning of the new academic year and the influx of students seeking accommodation, ADRmetering in conjunction with university accommodation managers and apartment block body corporates have introduced prepaid electricity metering for faculity students.

The system is based on the university faculity taking responsibility for a single energy retailer gate meter for the complete apartment block (This could be the complex corporate body). Each individual apartment then has a Cashpower Gemini prepaid electricity meter is installed. A positive feature of the Gemini meter is the measurement element is able to be readily retrofitted where the current retailers electricity meter is installed, to date this has been in a locked metering board ensuring the ongoing security of the installation. In conjunction with this is a Customer Interface Unit (CIU) that is installed in each apartment that provides the user interface.

The student is able to purchase a EasypowOr prepay card from on campus retail outlets. They then have the option of vending there prepay number either by using a 0508 Interactive voice vending system or via SMS text messaging. The response from this vending process is a one time only 20 digit encrypted number that is then entered into the CIU by the student.

The benefits of the system is that the students are able to budget and control their energy usage, the student is able to access usage history if needed. Also both the university facility and the body corporate are able better manage the end of trimester periods as the energy retailer is no longer left with outstanding accounts with no apartment tenants still resident.