Yemisi Izuora
The Ikeja Electric (Ikeja Disco) has unveiled a fresh initiative to bring into proper account 592 new consumers as well as provide over half a million meters to customers within its network.
In the plan, the company will install about 600,000 new improved tamper proof Smart Meters to customers.
The initiative known, Customer Enumeration Technical Audit and Asset Mapping (CETAAN) which kicked off monday in Lagos, will enable the company capture its customer base, confirm status of assets and electronically keep asset register electronically.
Within same period, over 592 new customers would be connected to the system in a bid to improve power supply to consumers.
Speaking at a media interactive session to explain the CETAAN objectives, managing director of Ikeja Electric, Abiodun Anifowobaje, lamented the dilapidated assets of the company prior to privatisation.
Anifowobaje, recalled that on take over after unbundling of PHCN, there was inadequate power, overloaded feeders, over extended low/high tension lines, undersized network while average power availability was 9 hours.
He revealed that under former management, only 78 percent of about 636,160 was actually being billed.
However, with significant investment in skill and equipment replacement, power supply gap as at August this year, less than 50 percent of customers are currently unmettered.
The managing director also noted that part of the initiative is to further reduce losses from current 33 percent to 14 percent.
He said, about 700,000 certified customers are under the Ikeja Electric control.
Also, the company has successfully installed about 6,000 meters across its network under the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and will ensure monthly installation of about 15,000 meters to meet the 600,000 target, he assured.