Prepaid meters: Electricity customers can now get them and pay later - NERC
- The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission says electricity customers will be allowed to get prepaid meters and pay later
- NERC’s commissioner for finance and management services, Nathan Shatti, who made the disclosure on Thursday, July 18, says the privilege will be enjoyed as from August 2019
- Shatti says the customers can either pay upfront or in instalments within a period of one to 10 years
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has said as from August 2019, electricity customers will be allowed to get prepaid meters and pay later.
The disclosure was made on Thursday, July 18, by NERC’s commissioner for finance and management services, Nathan Shatti.
The Cable reports that Shatti said that the customers can either pay upfront or in instalments within a period of one to 10 years.
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Legit.ng gathers that NERC stated that the one-phase prepaid meter would be available for N36,992 and three-phase would be sold for N67,055.
According to Shatti, the commission approved a total of 42 meter service providers in April under the Meter Asset Providers (MAPs) scheme.
Permits were issued by the regulators to the firms to begin the rollout of new meters by May 1.
Shatti said: “Although the installations did not commence immediately across the country as anticipated, due to the need to finalise some documentations and also mobilise the supply of meters.
“I am happy to report that the installations of meters have now commenced across various DisCo franchise areas.
“Currently, we have asked or encouraged the MAPs to concentrate on the upfront payment for obvious reasons. The payment by instalment is scheduled to commence on August 1, 2019.”
According to Shatti, repayment for the cost of the meter services will be done monthly through metering service charge while vending.
He added: “Discos have the responsibility to make the areas for meter deployment ready in line with MAP regulation and the planned roll-out."
“MAPs will then determine the type of meter the customer needs and the customer will decide how long (the period) he/she plans to pay for the metering services.
“After confirming the type of meter and period of repayment, the MAP will install meters across the whole area in an organised and systematic manner – no exception, all customers without meters in those areas must be metered by the MAP).”
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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a bill for an Act to amend the Electric Power Reform Act to prohibit and criminalise estimated billing by the Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) passed third reading in the House of Representatives.
The House unanimously voted in favour of the bill when it was put to voice vote by the deputy speaker, Rep Yussuf Lassun (APC-Osun), at the plenary on Tuesday, January 22.
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Source: Legit.ng
