CEBU CITY — A power distribution utility here will soon implement a new prepaid system for selected consumers.

Visayan Electric will start accepting applications for Load-E on October 15.

With Load-E, customers will be allowed to pay in advance for a pre-computed amount of electricity with no daily fee or set costs.

“Basically, it is being patterned on existing prepaid systems on telecommunication companies,” Daryl Bonbon, Visayan Electric's Assistant Vice President for Customer Services, said in a virtual press briefing.

To ensure its smooth implementation, Bonbon said the prepaid system had underwent several tests among employees of Visayan Electric in 2019.

Load-E’s primary targets are consumers who are often away from their properties such as tenants of rental businesses and residential spaces.

Pilot areas for Load-E are Barangays Banilad, Kasambagan and Lahug.

“We chose these three barangays because they have a large concentration of the ideal consumers for Load-E,” said Bonbon.

Existing postpaid consumers from the pilot areas can also avail of the prepaid payment system, without additional charges.

By using Load-E, customers can top-up their ‘smart meters’ through Unionbank online, over-the-counter, or Visayan Electric mobile app.
Minimum top-up amount is P200 which is equivalent to 20 kiloWatt-hour and could last between three to five days.

Consumers are also notified through text if their load is running low.

“The purpose of having Load-E is that we’re helping customers have the options or choices on how to manage their consumption of electricity,” Bonbon said.