By Thompson ABISOLA
The Electricity Meters Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (EMMAN), on Wednesday, said the regulation on Meter Asset Providers (MAPs) by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), would ensure constant power supply.
EMMAN’s Executive Secretary, Mr. Muideen Ibrahim, said in Lagos that the regulation would encourage electricity distribution companies (DisCos) to supply adequate electricity and also recoup their investments.
TBI Africa reports that NERC had on April 3, introduced MAP to finance a mass metering plan through which new investors are expected to procure meters to reduce estimated billing to its barest minimum.
Ibrahim said: “The beauty of the project is that it is going to ensure constant power supply because if there is no supply, DisCos would not be able to recoup their money.
“The MAP project stipulates that all electricity customers are metered. Effective metering would bring stable supply and efficiency.
“If there is no constant power, customers would not be able to recharge their pre-paid meters and equally DisCos would not be able to recoup their money within the specified number of years,” he said.
The EMMAN scribe said the meter providers would also ensure prompt metering and effective management of households, to get their money back within the specified number of years as agreed.
He said the project was a win-win situation for meter manufacturers, DisCos and consumers.
According to Ibrahim, the MAP regulation provides that all households are metered once there are requests from consumers.
He noted that some DisCos had placed advertorials for meter providers to apply to them, which he said, was a good development for the sector.
Ibrahim urged NERC to ensure strict monitoring and compliance with terms of the project by all parties.
TBI Africa also reports that NERC has approved and granted licences to 35 companies to participate in the meter procurement process. The companies are Huawei Technology Company Nigeria Limited, Bilview Energy Limited, Chintech Electro Nigeria Limited, Holley Metering Ltd, Meron Nigeria Ltd, and Integrated Power Ltd.
Others are MBH Power Ltd, Trimani Engineering Ltd, Sapropel Energy Resources Ltd, Megawatt Distribution International Ltd, Unistar Hi-Tech Systems Ltd and MOMAS Electricity Meters Manufacturing Company Ltd.
Imperial Infrastructure Development Company Ltd, Ratio Consulting Ltd, Protogy Global Services Ltd, Paktim Metering Nigeria Ltd, and Sabrud Consortium Nigeria Ltd, among others.
