New meter roll-out scheme suffers delay

Logistics challenges which electricity distribution companies (DisCos) are battling with have affected the commencement of the new meter roll-out under the meter asset providers (MAPs) regulation.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had issued permits to approved meter service providers to roll out of new meters by May 1.

On March 8, 2018, NERC introduced the MAP regulation to new investors in the power sector to fast-track the roll-out of meters through the engagement of third-party investors.

NERC asked distribution licencees to conclude the procurement process for the engagement of the first set of MAPs within 120 days from April 3, 2018, but this didn’t happen until 2019 due to alleged sabotage by the DisCos.

TheCable, however, learnt that the mass deployment of meters to homes may not begin anytime soon as some DisCos are still struggling with customer enumeration.

In an interview, Felix Ofolue, head of corporate communications, Ikeja DisCo, said the process had commenced but some logistics need to be in place before meters are deployed.

“The process has commenced already. The process will begin with the KYC (know your customers) registration on Monday. The reason for that KYC registration is to identify how many people require meters,” Ofolue told the TheCable.

“Secondly, it will also help us to reconcile the issues we have with customers’ debt. The KYC is also necessary to capture customers who want to pay for meters in installment. After the KYC, there will be a survey of the locations of individual household of unmetered customers. After the survey, the actual deployment will be done.

“With a million customers, you don’t expect that to be done overnight. It takes some process. Even the MAPs will have to order for the meters or assemble them, as the case may be. The MAPs have about 10,000 meters on ground to kick off immediately. Before this month runs out, the actual deployment of meters will commence.

“We have three MAPs that will service our coverage areas and they have slightly above a million meters to deploy. This will be done in phases because of technicalities and logistics. We have some meters on ground to commence the installation of meters.
“The ultimate objective of the MAP scheme is to meter everybody on our network.”

Asked when the deployment of meters will commence, Tayo Adekunle, spokesman of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), said it is until the ongoing customer enumeration exercise is concluded.

“I don’t know yet. Based on what NERC said, the process has started but we have not started distributing meters to customers,” he said.

“The modalities for implementation are being fine-tuned in conjunction with the approved parties, that is the vendors from the MAPs scheme.

“Mark you, BEDC is one of the DisCos with the largest metering rate of 64 percent. We are committed to ensuring that our customers benefit from MAPs. But we are trying to ensure that the modalities for implementation are thoroughly spelled out.

“It’s just like when you want to do a party. You will do the planning. You first put the logistics in place. The MAPs need to put a lot of things in place. Part of the things we agreed on is to ensure that customers are enumerated, which is a pre-condition for them to access MAPs. Enumeration is ongoing in our franchise areas.”

Chukwuemeka Ezeh, spokesman of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), said the company is still working with the approved MAP to perfect the processes before the roll out begins.

“EEDC, having obtained regulatory approval for its MAP – Mojec International, we have been working closely with them to draw up and fine-tune the processes, with a view to ensuring that the whole exercise is smooth and stress free for our customers,” Ezeh said.

“The MAP program is one we are excited about, as we believe it will help us meter our unmeterd customers and equally close the wide metering gap the business inherited.

“The Management of EEDC has made all necessary arrangements to ensure the program succeeds. We are hopeful that before month ends, we would have fully commenced implementation of MAP.”

On the other hand, Bode Fadipe, spokesman of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), said the deployment of meters will begin after the ceremonial launch of the scheme on Friday.

“We are doing a formal commencement on Friday, May 10. The backend activities have started. The deployment of meters will begin immediately.”

Meanwhile, the latest third-quarter report by the commission released in January puts the number of unmetered registered electricity consumers in Nigeria at 4,606,106.

According to the new regulation aimed at closing the huge metering gap, the MAP shall install the meter at the premises of the customer within 10 working days of the receipt of full payment by the customer.