Indications have emerged that the Federal Government will enforce the Credited Advance Payment for Metering Implementation initiated by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission to close the metering gap and curb ‘crazy billing’ in the power sector.
The NERC Chairman, Dr. Sam Amadi, told our correspondent on Tuesday that CAPMI would continue to operate even if the DISCOs decided to initiate their own metering programme.
Amadi said, “CAPMI operates until a DISCO starts implementing its own metering plan. CAPMI operates until a DISCO provides a better plan. NERC is an effective regulator. Our plan is to increase our effectiveness and smartness. We will encourage where necessary and sanction when needed. We will bark and bite and also speak softly when necessary. Our focus is to protect the public interest and not grandstand.”
The PUNCH on Friday reported that the new investors, who took over the distribution companies formerly owned by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, had jettisoned the CAPMI scheme initiated by NERC, the power industry regulator of the 10 distribution companies in the country. Only Ikeja and Eko electricity distribution companies have begun the CAPMI scheme as a response to customers’ complaints about estimated billing.
But our correspondent learnt that the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, owned by NEDC/Kepco Consortium, had suspended the prepaid meter scheme, while its Eko counterpart was no longer keen about the scheme.
Its chances of survival at the Eko Distribution Company, according to sources, remain very slim.
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