30 July 2013, Lagos – The Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, has said that the revenue drive of the Eko Electricity Distribution Company, EKEDC, and other considerations tipped it for the metre distribution pilot programme.
Eko was accredited before other DISCOs in the country to launch the Credited Advanced Payment Implementation, CAPMI scheme, to close the metering gap in the electricity sector.
The Chairman of NERC, Sam Amadi, told our correspondent exclusively that Eko was chosen for the CAPMI programme because: “Eko DISCO has always been at the fore-front in their performance. They are very resourceful in their revenue turn over. They are faster than others and their performance has been impressive over time.”
He noted that although the DISCO is a smaller network compared to its contemporaries in the country, the company however, met all the requirements needed for the accreditation to successfully launch the scheme, as a guide for other DISCOs.
With 11 Business Units, which include Agbara; Apapa; Ajele; Festac; Ibeju; Ijora; Island; Ojo; Orile; Lekki; and Mushin, and 32 undertakings, the Eko DISCO receives its bulk power supply from two Transmission sources – Akangba 330/132KV and Ajah 330/132KV. Thereafter, it distributes the power through 10 No. 132/33KV Transmission stations.
The NERC boss disclosed that other DISCOs in the country will key into the CAPMI scheme within a short time frame, as they are currently undergoing accreditation processes.
According to him, the whole ideal of the scheme is to close the metering gap in the power sector, using indigenous meter manufacturers in collaboration with the DISCOs in the country.
He added that: “Over 80 meter manufacturing companies have been accredited for this scheme; they include both indigenous and foreign manufacturing companies. We have some foreign companies that have local representative here in Nigeria and they are those who import meters into the country.
“We are still looking for other sources to ensure that these meters are properly distributed to any willing customer that wants to pay up front and have it installed within 48 hours in his or her apartment.”
Recall that Eko DISCO was the first to launch the CAPMI scheme in collaboration with two indigenous meter manufacturing companies, MOMAS Nigeria Limited and MOJEC International.
The new metering scheme became necessary following complaints by consumers over estimated billing and poor service delivery.
The NERC boss said that a critical assessment of the performance of the Multi Year Tariff Order, MYTO, introduced on June 1, 2012, showed a satisfactory result.
– Kunle Kalejaye
