The Electricity Utility Corporation Limited (EUCL) has signed a partnership deal with GTBank to facilitate payment of power bills. The new electronic electricity bill payment service that was launched on Friday will enable customers to pay their bills from the comfort of their homes or offices, Jean Bosco Mugiraneza, the Rwanda Energy Group chief executive officer, said. Mugiraneza said the mobile payment service aimed at improving service delivery. “The new system will help reduce the cost of making payments and help us get real time and accurate data to ease decision-making, planning and implementation,” Mugiraneza told The New Times. He said power utility bodies were seeking innovative solutions, including partnerships with banks, as one of the strategies to minimise errors and streamline books of accounts to enhance efficiency and transparency. He revealed that the utility is currently working with other banks to develop and implement a similar system “that will boost our efficiency in service delivery”. Bayo Veracruz, the GTBank managing director, said the platform adds value to either part, noting that it will reduce time and human resources spent on posting of payments to customer’s accounts. He added that customers can access the service on GTBank’s Internet banking platform. How the system works Customers are required to log on to guaranty automated payment service (GAPS) and follow utility payment steps, including filling in personal details before making payments electronically. One needs to register before using the Internet facility. The utility body has so far made about 520,000 on-grid electricity connections, translating into 24 per cent of the 70 per cent targeted connections (48 per cent on grid and 22 per cent off grid) by 2017/18 financial year. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
