Over 100,000 customers given meters in 2 years – PHED

The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) said over 100,000 customers have received meters in the last two years.

Chief Executive Officer of PHED, Naveen Kapoor said y at the official flag off of Meter Asset Provider, (MAP) that the already metered customers were in the Uyo.

He said the aim of the MAP was to bring transparency and integrity in billing through accurate energy measurement, adding that it would check the issue of overestimated billing.

Kapoor stated that the company has established Bill Reconciliation Camps (BRC), across its coverage area to ensure smooth transition of unmetered and defective meter customers who are being billed on estimated basis and have outstanding debt payable to PHED.

He noted that the company was ensuring quick reconciliation of customers’ accounts before migrating customers to the new meter to eliminate any chances of billing related grievances in future, and urged unmetered customers and those with defective meters to participate in the scheme to enable PHED improve its service delivery.

“We are responsible for distributing power in four states namely: Rivers, Cross Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa with over 513,000 customers. In last two years alone, PHED has metered more than 100, 000 of its esteemed customers.

“As we are well aware, the Federal Government has been engaging all Discos over the estimated billings that results in erroneous billing leading to customer grievances. To resolve this lingering issue, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) issued Meter Asset Provider Regulations last year.

“PHED has wholeheartedly adopted MAP policy to bridge the metering gap in our network, put to an end this lingering issue between us and our esteemed customers and thereby strengthen our relationship and bond with our customers.

“Following the transparent billing process, duly audited by NERC, two vendors Holley Metering Ltd and Armese consulting Ltd have been approved for the implementation of MAP in Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, and Cross River state,” he said.

Also speaking, the State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel who was represented by his Special Assistant on Power, Mr Meyen Etukudoh, expressed the hope that with the adoption of MAP by PHED would end the era of illegal connections and ensure costumers no longer pay for energy they did not consume which had been the major complain all over the state.