Equity, Social Justice, and Empowerment Minister Joachim Henry has announced that the St. Lucia Electricity Services Limited (LUCELEC) will launch a prepaid electricity pilot project in August.
"Persons will be able to receive electricity in a prepaid mode," Henry told reporters during Monday's regular pre-Cabinet press briefing.
"So you buy your top-up electricity. You can see it on your phone, and then you can manage your electricity," the Minister explained.
He indicated that caring for people and the high incidence of electricity disconnections prompted the prepaid initiative because people cannot afford the postpaid modality.
"We asked for it. LUCELEC has communicated to me that in August this year there will be a launch of prepaid electricity," the Castries South East MP stated.
"If you have never experienced it, it is something to try. I had it when I was in Dominica," Henry disclosed.
Dominica allows consumers to purchase power for their prepaid meters via telephone at their convenience.
The system also operates in other countries, including Jamaica.
Like prepaid telephone service, consumers may buy credit and top-up as required.
In Jamaica, the consumer gets a Customer Interphase Unit resembling a security alarm keypad, which the power company installs in the home.
The unit beeps when only five kilowatt-hours remain. If the consumer cannot top up before the credit expires, they can call the power company for an additional five kilowatt-hours.
Saint Lucia's Equity, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister recalled that he recently spoke with Dominica's Health Minister, who was having a Father's Day activity.
"He just gave a guy to top-up his electricity bill - fifty dollars for him to have the activity," Henry told reporters.
He declared that there was no need to wait on a monthly bill.
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