By Thompson ABISOLA
The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC),said it has expended N10 billion on the procurement and installation of certified prepaid meters for its customers within the South-East.
The Head of Communications, EEDC, Mr Emeka Ezeh, told newsmen on Wednesday in Enugu that the company inherited more than 700,000 unmetered customers when it took over from defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).
According to Ezeh, it has always been the desire of the company to meter all its customers in order to put an end to estimated billing. He, however, said due to inadequate funds, the company could not provide meters to all its customers.
“We have already started metering our customers but there is no way we can meter all our customers at the same time. We do not have the finance to meter all our customers at the same time.
“We have committed over N10 billion to procuring and providing meters to our customers. We need time and resources to meter all our customers,’’ he said.
He explained that the prepaid meters, known as smart meters, had been installed free-of-charge, adding “customers should report any of their personnel that demand any payment for the meter or its installation.’’
Eze, however, disclosed that the smart meters, because of the way they were prepared, would help to check meter by-pass and energy theft.
On the unstable power supply in the state, Ezeh said the country presently generates about 3,000 megawatts of electricity and this had necessitated the load shedding to serve their customers.
He added that if power generation improves, power distribution would improve in the zone as well.
Eze advised customers to procure energy saving bulbs to conserve energy, as well as switch off electrical appliances when not in use.
