In its bid to achieve the National Mass Metering Program, NMMP, the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Plc, IBEDC, on Wednesday said it will commence the rollout of free meters to customers by the third week of November, 2020.
The distribution company also said it has received the newly approved capping policy-order NERC/214/2020 from the sector regulator, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, which took effect from November 1, 2020.
IBEDC Chief Operating Officer, Mr. John Ayodele, in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan, said the free metering move is in compliance with the Federal Government’s newly introduced NNMP initiative to bridge the country’s metering gap and also cushion the effect of the Service Reflective Tariff on electricity consumers.
Stating further that the company would soon roll out list of designated distribution points across the franchise, Ayodele assured that it would be a seamless metering process, which allows customers to register and be metered quickly after following the due process.
According to him, in the first phase of the program, which will run till the end of December 2020, the IBEDC would roll out over 100,000 prepaid meters to customers, including those who are duly registered, passed the technical evaluation and paid under the Meter Asset Provider Scheme, MAPS.
He said, “In line with this program, IBEDC is committed to driving the rollout through a series of metering registration and distribution points across different locations within its franchise.
“This metering initiative is designed to ensure a seamless metering process that allows customers to register and be metered quickly after following the due process.
“For the first phase of the program, which will run till the end of December 2020, IBEDC is rolling out over 100,000 prepaid meters to customers, including those who are duly registered, had passed the technical evaluation and paid under the Meter Asset Provider Scheme (MAP).
“The primary objectives of the National Mass Metering Program amongst other things are to increase the metering rate in Nigeria, curb losses and increase financial flows to the industry at large.
“Part of the objectives also includes the elimination of estimated billing, improving network monitoring capability and strengthening the local content in meter manufacturing in Nigeria.
“The National Mass Metering Program, NMMP, is expected to roll out six million meters over the next 18 to 36 months across Nigeria.”
On the capping policy-order, the IBEDC boss said, “The capping order would ensure that estimated billing is more equitable and just, pending the time all our customers are fully metered.”
