Ikeja Electric Plc (IE) on Monday said it had metered over 120,000 households between January 2018 and June 2020 in line with its commitment to bridging the metering gap under its operational network.
Mr Felix Ofulue, Head, Corporate Communications, IE, gave the figure in a statement signed and released to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ikeja.
Ofulue said that the electricity distribution company had doubled its efforts to realise its objective of metering all its customers in the shortest possible time.
He said this was aimed at achieving the mandate of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to bridge the metering gap and reduce the incidence of estimated billing.
Ofulue said: “The company plans to meter another 400,000 customers over the next two years.
“Apart from eradicating estimated billing, Ikeja Electric’s metering programme has also provided jobs, directly and indirectly, for thousands of Lagosians and Nigerians in general, particularly during the lockdown.”
According to him, metering of its customers under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme is ongoing, despite logistical challenges emanating from the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said IE had also metered Maximum Demand (MD) customers in the network and conducts periodic recertifications of the meters in line with Regulatory procedures.
“In addition to consumer metering, Ikeja Electric has also metered all the 33kv /11kv feeders from the injection stations ensuring energy accountability across its delivery points.
“The local distribution transformers have also been metered up to 100 per cent while the metering of newly installed transformers after completion of the project is ongoing,”Ofulue said.
He urged customers who had not applied for meters to take advantage of the MAP scheme to do so.
Ofulue said that IE had set up a debt resolution panel in the six business units to address complaints on outstanding bills and other related issues to ensure reconciliation while customers are processing the application for meter.
He said : “With regards to payment for meters, customers must always pay into the designated bank account provided by MAP and they must always include their Application Reference Number (ARN) when making these payments.
“With the upward review of meter prices by NERC, the new price for Single Phase Meter is now N48,263.37 while Three Phase Meter is now N89,069.33.
“All prices are inclusive of Value Added Tax and became effective from June 1.”
Ofulue said that customers who made payment before June 1 under the MAP scheme, but are yet to be metered should forward their payment evidence stating Account Name, ARN and IE Account Number to[email protected] for prompt confirmation.
He advised customers not to pay or give money to either Ikeja Electric staff or MAP for meter and installation, but to contact the customer care unit for clarification on issues that were not clear.
