A public utility in Sub Saharan Africa needed a certified system to generate STS tokens for prepaid customers. Without it, STS meter users could not reliably purchase energy, and no solution or internal expertise existed. Sotex designed and delivered a compliant Vending Management platform from scratch, including security modules, vendor integrations, and payment handling. The system supports large scale prepaid operations and enables expansion across regions.
Challenges
• No existing system for STS token generation
• Strict requirement for STS certification to enable token generation
• Limited client knowledge of STS standards and implementation
• Short timeline for delivery and certification
• Need to support multiple vendors, customers, and security modules
• High load requirements for prepaid customer transactions
Our Solution & Key Features
Sotex Solutions built a custom STS-certified vending platform that manages the full prepaid electricity lifecycle, from token generation to transaction tracking.
The system was designed to handle secure communication with STS security modules, manage vending keys, and support integrations with third-party vendors. The architecture was built with scalability in mind, ensuring reliable performance under heavy transaction loads.
Key capabilities include:
• Prepaid meter setup and lifecycle management
• STS token generation through certified security modules
• Debt and tariff management
• Vending key and security module handling
• Integration with third-party vendors
• Payment and wallet processing
• Analytics and reporting for all vending transactions
• Centralised management of prepaid operations
This approach enabled the client to move from having no system at all to operating a fully certified, production-ready vending platform.
Key Achievements
Support for over 500,000 prepaid customers
Successful implementation of STS certified token generation
Centralised platform for all prepaid operations
Reliable handling of high-volume vending transactions
Faster rollout of prepaid services across regions
Technology Stack
Frontend: Angular
Backend: .NET Core
Database: SQL Server
Cloud Hosting: Azure
Integrations & Frameworks: REST APIs, gRPC, Thrift API, messaging systems
Business Impact
The platform enabled the client to launch and scale prepaid electricity services where no system previously existed. By introducing STS-compliant token generation and centralised vending operations, the client gained the ability to serve a large prepaid customer base with reliable, secure transactions.
Conclusion
Sotex Solutions delivered a critical infrastructure system for prepaid energy that combines certification, scalability, and integration into a single platform. The solution now supports ongoing expansion and provides a stable foundation for future growth in the prepaid energy market.
Looking to build certified, scalable systems for energy or regulated environments?
Contact Sotex Solutions to design and deliver secure, production-ready platforms.
📧 bd@sotexsolutions.com
📞 +381-64-165-7193
