Neoenergia's customers, one of the leading companies in the Brazilian electricity sector, served by Coelba (BA), Celpe (PE) and Cosern (RN) distributors, will count, as of this Monday (6/15), with the self-reading service, until then offered to Elektro (SP/MS) consumers.  With the expansion, all 14 million customers of the company will be benefited. The measure is one of the actions adopted by Neoenergia to contribute to the prevention of the new coronavirus, since it avoids the physical presence of employees in homes and businesses that have the meter in the internal area.

"In this moment of social isolation, self-reading is an additional digital service offered by Neoenergia, enabling the customer to inform his/her consumption for billing purposes, without the need for a professional from the distributor to go to the location. It is enough to just inform the reading in the services area of the website of each one of our distributors on the day before the next visit of the meter reader in his/her residence, described in the energy bill of the previous month", says Rosane Patarra, Neoenergia's Reading Manager. "It is important that the customer also take the opportunity and register his/her invoice for receipt by e-mail. This action reduces the need to handle paper bills, and also contributes to the environment," she explains.

This action also facilitates the billing of establishments that are closed because of quarantine and that, following determinations of the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel), could be charged by the average consumption of the last 12 months. "With the self-reading it will be possible to bill for the consumption made and indicated by the customer," says Renato Suplicy, Strategy and Digital Services manager at Neoenergia. "This is one more action designed to make life easier for our consumers in line with the digital transformation strategy," the executive reinforces.

HOW TO MEASURE ENERGY CONSUMPTION

To send the data, the customer must access the website of his/her distributor (Coelba, Celpe, Cosern) and, in the service space, access the Consumption and Supply option. Then click on Reading Information. You will need to enter the contract account number, inform the date you viewed the meter reading, and enter the reading described on the meter. Then, just click on "request", and receive your protocol.

COVID-19 PREVENTION AMONG METER READERS

As additional measures for prevention in this period, Neoenergia has adopted actions such as the mandatory use of masks and alcohol gel, besides a solution of water and soap for hand hygiene, materials that are replaced throughout the day by coordinators. Professionals undergo periodic training, currently in virtual format, and are advised not to have physical contact and to maintain an adequate distance from customers. The equipment to record the reading and print the invoice is for personal use and is sanitized frequently.

SOLIDARITY DIGITALIZATION: BANK DEBIT AND E-MAIL INVOICE

Thinking of maximum safety and convenience for its customers, Neoenergia also expanded services and digital channels during the pandemic, encouraging customers to stay at home. One of the recent initiatives was the launch of Solidarity Digitalization (Digitalização Solidária in Portuguese), a project that stimulates the adhesion of the consumers to the services of Automatic Debit and E-mail Invoice. With this, the company will donate to social support institutions up to R$ 5 per client who joins the services - the potential of the campaign is R$ 5.6 million in collection.

This initiative is part of the Iberdrola group answer to Coronavirus .