Pre-paid meters for household gas consumption have been saving gas by 20 percent in Chattogram city, and cost for consumers has also been coming down as they have been refraining from wasting the resources.

A survey conducted by Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited (KGDCL) came up with the findings in a report published earlier this year. The survey was done among 300 subscribers, comparing their gas consumptions before and after beginning to use prepaid meters.

The report found that before installing the prepaid meters, a customer used 55 cubic metres of gas on average per month, but it was reduced to around 44 cubic metres.

According to KGDCL, there are 5.98 lakh residential gas connections in the city. A project titled “Natural Gas Efficiency Project” was initiated to set up prepaid meters for 60,000 subscribers in 2014, which opened at consumer level in May 2017. A total of 44,826 meters have been installed till yesterday, while the others will be installed by next February.

Engineer Sarwar Hossain, director of the project, said at least 20 percent of the gas was being saved which would be provided to other areas.

He said, “After the project completes, we will save 6.5 lakh cubic metres of gas per month, which will cover the demand of more than 15,000 new consumers.”

KGDCL officials said awareness regarding gas consumption has also helped customers save money. Earlier, Tk 800 per month had to be paid for using a double burner stove, which was estimated to burn around 88 cubic metres of gas. Price of per cubic metre of gas is Tk 9.11.

But it was found that most consumers used on average 55-60 cubic metres of gas per month. After using prepaid meters, the usage came down to 40-50 cubic metres, which saved them about Tk 400-450 per month.

“There is a growing interest among residential consumers in using prepaid meters, due to the cost benefit,” KGDCL Managing Director Khaiz Ahmed Mozumder told The Daily Star.

According to KGDCL, the cost of this project was estimated at Tk 246.47 crore, of which Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is giving Tk 154.11 crore, the government is providing Tk 81. 45 crore and KGDCL is providing the rest -- Tk 10.91 crore.

The areas covered under the project are: Nasirabad Housing Society, Halishahar Housing State, Halishahar Housing State, Hill View Residential Area, OR Nizam Road, Khulshi, Chawkbazar, Kazir Dewri, Mehedibagh, Sugandha and Panchlaish Residential area.

Faisal Alam, a resident of Nasirabad residential area, told The Daily Star that earlier he had to pay Tk 800 whether he used his burners or not. But after the introduction of prepaid meters, the cost has come down to Tk 400 to Tk 500, he added.

Rony Islam, a resident of Khulshi area and also owner of residential building Rehana Monjil, said in post-paid system, he had to pay Tk 800 monthly as gas bill of a flat that was vacant. “It is a loss for any building owner,” he said, adding, “But now due to prepaid meter, I don't need to pay any bill, except for Tk 60 as meter fee.”