Richard Ginika Izuora
The Aba Power Limited has has estimated that it would cost about N14 billion to deploy smart pre-paid meters for 200 customers within its network.
The Aba Power Mass Meter Programme (APMMP), campaign would provide meters to electricity users without prepayment.
The Power firm disclosed this after it launched a rare metering campaign to accelerate the process of making pre-paid meters available to customers in the Aba Ringfence, which comprises nine out of the 17 local government areas in Abia State.
The Managing Director of the power firm, Mr. Patrick Umeh, explained that the APMMP would start in the next couple of days with customers on the Township 11KV Feeder, “which covers Asa Road, St Michael’s Road, George’s Road, Pound Road, Park Road and Azikiwe Road. This feeder has more available power than most feeders in the Aba Ringfence, and so will benefit many more persons and organisations.”
The firm said it has taken the decision because meter penetration in the nine LGAs which it services is very poor.
Umeh, explained that greater meter penetration would gender customer confidence which would, in turn, make electricity users pay monthly bills promptly, as the estimated billing system widely used in the country is considered opaque and even frequently fraudulent.
“Our Chairman, Professor Bart Nnaji, a former Minister of Power, has directed us to do everything within our power to alleviate the sufferings of electricity users by giving them prepaid meters, even if it will have a heavy cost implication to us; it is a cost we are willing to bear as a socially responsible corporate organisation.
“More importantly, Nnaji has directed us to do everything we can to promote transparency and accountability in our services which prepaid meters support.
“Customers want to know what they are paying for, and this is a fair demand,” Umeh said.
He said the metering programme would be run in phases because of the huge cost.
According to the Chief Financial Officer of Geometric Power, Mr. Anthony Alozie, “it will cost N14 billion to provide 200,000 customers with meters. We honestly do not know when they will get to all customers.
“Therefore, those who cannot wait to get prepaid meters through the APMMP can quickly get theirs through the ongoing MAP of the federal government promoted by such bodies as Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Central Bank of Nigeria.”
The firm however noted that a customer who wants to acquire a single-phase meter through MAP would pay about N63,000 in advance and about N118,000 to procure a three-phase meter, though the customer would be refunded through power credit within 36 months.
According to the firm, it would allow payment by installment to assist customers, adding that one major difference between getting a meter under MAP and obtaining it through the APMMP is that the MAP would enable a customer to get the it within 10 days after payment whereas the time frame for securing a meter through the APMMP arrangement is not known.
“The prepaid meters under our new arrangement are given out in phases, that is, from feeder to feeder,” stated Umeh, who explained that Aba Power is running both arrangements simultaneously because of the advantanges inherent in each.
An engineer and former Chief Executive of the Olorunsogo Power Plant, Ogun State, Dr. Phillip Ugwu, said, “Aba Power is setting standards and deserves commendation.
“Its two-pronged approach to mass metering will rekindle confidence in the electricity sector.”
Aba Power, a subsidiary of Geometric Group, which is Nigeria’s 12th and newest Electricity Distribution Company, DisCo, embarked on the metering campaign less than five months after it aligned with the Federal Governments MAP to provide meters to Nigerians.
