Electricity consumers in Nigeria have been told by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) that they must get their meters installed not later than 10 days after payment is made.
It said the distribution companies, as stated in the MAPs regulations, were given a deadline to provide the meters to the customers at the required time.
Speaking at the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) launch of the MAPs in Abuja, the Commission’s Chairman, Prof. James Momoh, explained that the regulation was designed in a manner that prioritizes consumers’ welfare in the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) value chain.
The Chairman, who spoke through the General Manager, Finance and Management Services, Mr Abudukadir Shetima, stressed that any MAP that failed in meeting the stipulated deadline for meter installation will be sanctioned.
“Deadlines were provided in the regulation for the DisCos, even the commission so that we don’t delay so that the customers get the service at the time that it is required.
“For instance, if a meter is about to be installed, it must be installed within 10 days of making payment. There will be sanctions if that deadline is not met.
“To ensure there will be sanction the MAP has been asked to provide a bank performance guarantee that will be called upon. So they will lose money if they delay in providing the meters even by one day,” he said.
On his part, the AEDC Managing Director, Engr. Ernest Mupwaya, disclosed that it had commenced the roll-out of 900,000 meters to customers, following the May 1, 2019 date that was given by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission mandating Discos and MAPs to deploy meters to unmetered customers across the country.
Mupwaya said Mojec would install and maintain meters for power users in the FCT and Kogi State, Turbo Energy would do same for customers in Niger, while Meron would handle consumers in Nasarawa State.
The Managing Director, Turbo Energy, Daniel Obemure, explained that power users now had the choice of making meter purchase and could choose to pay over a period of three to five years, adding that his firm had the capacity to meet the meter demand in its area of operation.
Also in a bid to ensure massive metering of electricity consumers, three Meter Asset Providers(MAPs) Mojec International, Turbo Energy and Meron have initiated a customers financing platform for procurement of prepaid meters.
This according to the MAPs, was done in partnership with nine banks which include: Zenith, Unity, Polaris, UBA, Keystone, Wema, Sterlin, Jaiz and First Banks.
The initiative allows electricity consumers to access loan for the purpose of procuring their meter. The returns will then be made to the bank at a flexible rate.
Credit: tribuneonlineng.com
