DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ONLINE ELECTRICITY PAYMENT AND METERING SYSTEM WITH PAYMENT INTEGRATION, EMAILING AND SMS. (A CASE STUDY OF HARCOURT ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION COMPANY)
Abstract : Nigeria's energy sector is plagued by poor, inadequate and disorganized electricity billing and consumer relations management.
Despite the introduction of prepaid billing meters, electricity billing and collection remains a major challenge in some communities in Nigeria.
Because the electricity consumer must first go to the bank to make the payment and then take the cashier to the electricity company's office to confirm the electricity payment before the electricity is applied to the card.
The installment and payment process is tedious and burdensome. The main objective of this research is to design and implement a practical, cashless, automated and transparent electricity metering, billing and payment system. This study combines the power of the Internet to allow a power meter to communicate with her SMS and email network.
Once fully implemented, the proposed system will allow electricity consumers to seamlessly charge and pay their electricity bills remotely via their mobile phones or laptops. The introduction of an online electricity payment and meter reading system will help improve accountability, organize and simplify electricity payments in Nigeria.
The proposed system was developed using HTML and CSS, as well as Python and MySQL programming languages.
The SMSC also acts as a store and forward system, guaranteeing message delivery, where messages that cannot be immediately delivered to a mobile device because it may be out of coverage area or turned off, will be saved and sent later when the device is able to accept messages.
SMS messages are sent over the voice control channels. Messages can be received simultaneously with a voice call and messages can be transmitted without activating a voice call or calling a specific number to submit the message into a server.
Hence , the application of SMS –based technology in energy recharge and power theft alert for prepaid meters cannot be overemphasized[1].
Cost Implications
Initial Setup Costs: Developing and implementing an online payment and metering system involves significant upfront costs for software development, hardware, and integration.
Ongoing Maintenance: Regular updates, maintenance, and technical support are required to keep the system operational and secure, adding to ongoing costs.
User Adoption and Accessibility
Digital Literacy: Some customers may not be comfortable using online systems or may lack the necessary digital literacy. This could lead to resistance or difficulty in adoption.
Internet Access: Customers in areas with poor internet connectivity may face difficulties accessing online payment and metering services, potentially leading to inequity in service access.
Considering the anomalies into the existing system, a computerized system is built using Python as a base language. The system enhances and upgrades the old existing system by increasing its efficiency and effectiveness.
The software improves the working methods by replacing the existing manual system with the computer-based system. The proposed system automates each and every activity of the manual system and increases its throughput.
Thus the response time of the system is less and works very fast. The system uses a quick response with very accurate information regarding the user’s electricity bill information.
The proposed system has a very user friendly interface, thus the user will feel very easy to work on it. The software provides accuracy along with a pleasant interface. The transactions reports of the system can be retried as and when required.
Thus there is no delay in the availability of any information, as whatever will be needed, can be captured quickly and easily. HTML and CSS will be used as a front end and The Microsoft Structured Query Language (SQL) as back end for developing the project.
Enhanced Customer Convenience
24/7 Access: Customers can make payments and check their meter readings at any time, reducing the need for physical visits to payment centers or offices.
Ease of Use: Online platforms simplify the payment process, allowing users to pay bills from their computers or smartphones.
2. Improved Efficiency
Automated Billing: Automated generation and distribution of bills reduce manual processing errors and administrative workload.
Faster Payments: Online payments are processed quickly, leading to faster confirmation and updates of payment status.
|