NERC orders metering of customers within 45 days of payment

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has directed all electricity distribution companies to install meters for electricity customers under the Credit Advance Payment for Metering Initiative (CAPMI) within 45 days of payment.

The commission, in Abuja, frowned at the refusal by distribution companies to meter their maximum-demand customers under the CAPMI.

The acting chairman of the Commission, Dr Anthony Akah, in a statement, issued by the Head of Press Unit, Dr Usman Abba Arabi, ordered that any customer who approached the companies for metering under CAPMI Scheme must have their meters within CAPMI stipulated timeline of 45 days.

“The scheme remains as an option for customers, but a compulsory requirement for DisCos to implement when customer offers to contribute to metering through CAPMI,” he said.

While also appealing to electricity consumers to stop attacks on officials of DisCos, he advised them to explore its complaint and redress mechanism rather than resort to jungle justice in settling disputes with officials of electricity distribution companies.

He directed the DisCos to provide meters for all maximum-demand-meter customers within their networks not later than the last quarter of 2016 as agreed during the meeting it had with them on metering.

He reiterated that the commission would sanction any defaulting DisCos beginning from the fourth quarter of the year.

However, the commission encouraged DisCos to publicise CAPMI and encourage customers to subscribe to it so as to close the wide metering gap in the industry.