Yemisi Izuora/Joseph Bakare
Deployment of Smart Meters by many Electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) is believed to be a key strategy to discourage meter cloning and other forms of frauds against the electricity market in Nigeria.
Also, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, (NERC) has indicated plans to deploy smart meter technology in the sector, as part of its efforts to overcome cloning of electricity meters and other forms of fraud in Nigeria’s electricity industry.
NERC disclosed recently in Abuja that it has taken delivery of a completed technical work it commissioned on regulation for smart metering which will now allow it set up the appropriate framework for deployment of smart meters to distribution networks in the country.
It also said that a number of the licensed electricity distribution companies in the sector have indicated their interest in deploying the technology in their networks, adding that the expected regulation will provide the supporting framework for such development in the sector.
Chairman of NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi at a recent media interaction said that the draft regulation will be put out for public review and consideration before it is finalized and approved as a regulatory document for use in this sector.
“The Commission has also received completed technical work on the regulation on smart metering. This draft regulation is now slated for public consultation to enable operators and the general public review and comment on the regulation before it is finalized and approved by the Commission.”
“This regulation will provide the framework for deployment of smart meters to protect the revenues of the distribution companies and help customers better manage their electricity consumption. Many of the distribution companies, in a bid to overcome metering cloning and other forms of frauds against the electricity market, are resorting to smart meter.
This regulation will provide a supporting framework for smart metering in the Nigerian electricity market,” Amadi said.
He warned customers to stop engaging in criminal acts of stealing power since it is this sort of sabotage at the retail level that increases the commercial losses which increase tariff the consumers pay and urged that extant acts of fraud in the sector be reported to the distribution companies.
“So, it is in the interest of consumers to report their neighbours who engage in such criminal activities to the distribution companies and the security forces. By protecting electrical installations, we reduce the cost of electricity generation, transmission and distribution,” he added.