The company has also partnered with six
indigenous prepaid meter manufacturing companies for an effective meter
procurement and installation.
The implication of this, according to
the Chief Executive Officer, Ikeja DISCO, Mr. Abiodun Ajifowobaje, is
that estimated billing will be reduced.
He said the scheme was necessary to
urgently address complaints by consumers about estimated billing and
other components of service delivery by the company.
According to him, consumers can, under
the scheme, apply and pay for meters, which will be installed within 48
hours and get their money reimbursed over a period of time as a means of
discount on their electricity consumption.
Ajifowobaje said the scheme had not overridden the Multi Year Tariff Order introduced in June 2012.
The MYTO scheme provides that no one
pays for the meter as it is supplied free to consumers and paid for as
tariff on monthly basis.
The PHCN boss explained that due to lack
of funds to procure enough meters from manufacturers at the moment,
CAPMI would encourage consumers to get it by paying at first and getting
refunded over a period of time.
He said the zone agreed to partner with
the indigenous firms after many months of consultation with the Nigerian
Electricity Regulatory Commission and other relevant stakeholders in
the power sector.
According to him, the CAPMI scheme is
optional and is designed as an alternative for consumers who are willing
to advance money to their distribution companies for speedy
installation of prepaid meters.
He said, “Customers are then refunded
for the cost of the meter by way of monthly reduction on the fixed
charge elements on their electricity bills over time.
“The scheme is meant for customers to
pay up-front for the purchase of the meter. The cost of the meter will
be refunded to the customers through a billing process spread across
three years with 12 per cent interest.
“The amount to be paid will be
publicised after discussing with the manufacturers, but I believe it
will be within the range of N25,000 for a single phase prepaid meter and
N35,000 for a three-phase meter.”
The six local meter manufacturers that
have partnered with the Ikeja Disco are MOMAS System Nigeria Ltd, MOJEC
Group of Companies, Chemo-technics Ltd, MBH Power Ltd, Unistar Hi-tech
System Ltd and First Global Excel Resources.
The Managing Director, MOMAS System Ltd,
Mr. Kola Balogun, said the smart metering would allow electricity
consumers to manage their consumption and the amount to be paid.
“With smart metering, you can manage
your electricity consumption and know exactly what your bill should be.
It also affords you the opportunity to load your meter with your phone
or the Internet without going to any of the PHCN offices.
“CAPMI has come to stay, we will make it
work and it is a way to relieve consumers from the constant ‘crazy
bills’ and estimated billing, but as a manufacturing company, our aim is
to key into the policy of the scheme.
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