AEDC unveils 900,000 meters worth N93bn

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has unveiled its 900,000 mass metering programme which it said is worth N93 billion.

The Managing Director of AEDC, Dr Ernest Mupwaya, at the flag off of the meter installation exercise at Gaduwa Estate in Abuja on Tuesday, said the funding was sourced by the Federal Government from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

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“Currently, with the flag-off of this National Free Mass Programme, AEDC will receive 900,000 meters, at N93 billion which will be sufficient to meter all customers including replacement of defective meters.

“Between now and December 2021, AEDC has planned to install over 101,000 meters at a cost of N6bn without charging customers,” Mupwaya said.

The rest of the meters will be installed 18 months after across Niger, Kogi and Nasarawa along with FCT, AEDC said.

He also noted that through the previous schemes, including the Meter Assets Provider (MAP), AEDC had installed over 300,000 meters for customers.

“The regulator NERC, has put in place punitive penalties for those caught bypassing the meter to the extent that the fines override the perceived benefit apart from damaging the good working relationship with the DisCos.”

A customer and pioneer Director General, Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), Tom Adaba, called for moderate billing.

“I believe that if you have a moderate rate, the temptation to bypass meters will be cut down very well.”

The Secretary, Nigeria Electricity Consumers Advocacy Network (NECAN), Uket Obonga, said: “Let consumers present here go back and preach the gospel that we are supposed to pay for the energy we consume and that you are not supposed to pay for energy you have not consumed.”

The President, Nigerian Consumers Protection Network (NCPN), Kunle Olubiyo, said for the first time, DisCos are giving meaning to the power privatisation seven years after.

“The essence of meters is that it will bring energy accountability to consumers and value for businesses for the DisCos,” he said.