Department of Electrical Services (DES)
The government electricity department of Brunei, where residents find how to buy prepaid meter tokens and pay postpaid bills, the residential tariff, planned power cut notices and the hotline for supply problems.
About Department of Electrical Services (DES)
The Department of Electrical Services is part of the Prime Minister's Office of Brunei and runs electricity generation, transmission, distribution and customer connections. Its website lists the places to buy prepaid meter tokens and pay postpaid bills: DES Headquarters at the Old Airport in Berakas, the Seria branch and the DST outlet in Tanjung Bunut. Tokens can also be bought online through the BIBD NEXGEN Wallet, Baiduri b.Digital, Standard Chartered and TAIB online banking, MyBillPayment and PowerKad. The site also publishes the residential tariff, notices of planned maintenance by district and downloadable forms.
Key Features
- Prepaid Tokens: Buy electricity tokens at DES counters, at partner outlets or online through local bank apps and payment services.
- Bill Payment: Pay postpaid electricity bills at the counters or through the online channels the department lists.
- Tariff Information: The residential Tariff A has four tiers, starting at B$0.01 per kWh for the first 600 kWh and rising to B$0.12 per kWh above 4,000 kWh.
- Outage Notices: Planned maintenance work is announced by district and date, and supply problems can be reported to the hotline 2387000.
How to Get Started
- Ask your landlord whether your home has a prepaid or postpaid meter and note the meter or account number.
- Open des.gov.bn to see the current payment and top-up channels.
- Buy tokens or pay the bill through a listed bank app, PowerKad or MyBillPayment, or at a DES counter.
- Check the planned maintenance page and follow DES on social media for notices about power cuts in your area.
The DES counters at headquarters and in Seria are closed on Fridays, Sundays and public holidays, while the DST outlet in Tanjung Bunut opens daily, so plan top-ups before your credit runs out. Most online channels are apps of local banks and payment providers, so a visitor without a Brunei bank account may need to pay at a counter or outlet. Rules for new connections and the documents needed are not listed on the website, so ask the Customer Services Division or your landlord. Tariffs and payment channels can change, so check the official website for the latest details.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Does Department of Electrical Services (DES) work with a foreign bank card in Brunei? Not reliably — a foreign card may be declined. Check the notice above, or plan to use a local payment method.
Is Department of Electrical Services (DES) available in English? Yes, Department of Electrical Services (DES) has an English-language interface.
Do I need a local phone number to use Department of Electrical Services (DES)? No, an international phone number generally works for Department of Electrical Services (DES).
Do I need local ID or residency for Department of Electrical Services (DES)? No, Department of Electrical Services (DES) doesn't require local ID or residency for visitors.