Eko Disco to meter all maximum demand customers this year

Determined to phase out estimated billings, the Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc (EKDC) has commenced massive roll out of prepaid meters to customers in its network, especially the maximum demand customers.

This development, according to Managing Director, EKDC, Oladele Amoda, was in compliance with the provisions of the Power Purchase Agreement signed with the Federal Government.

Amoda, who conveyed journalists round the store in Ijora area of Lagos, said the company has ordered for 7,500 maximum demand metres (MD) and it is planning to meter all MD customers this year.

“We want to show to the world that we are actually metering our customers, contrary to the popular allegation from the labour union,” he said.

Amoda said: “What we have here is 10,000 meters, we have others in other ware houses. We have just ordered 40,000 now, which have also been delivered. We have placed another order for 100,000 meters. What we are trying to do is to be able to install about 90,000 before the second the second quarter of this year and increase to 150,000 be the end of the year.

“We have done 46,000 meter earlier, and by the end of this year we would have installed about 200,000 metres,” he said.

He stated that, “the company has ordered for 7,500 maximum demand metres and have taken delivery of 3,000 as at today and we are expecting others to be delivery very shortly. We are planning to meter all of them this year.

“We want to take all our customers off estimated billings because it does not even pay us, we have done that analysis and discover that those of prepaid metres pay more,” he stressed.

According to him, the company has invested about $15 million (N3 billion) on the Maximum Demand metres, and plant to invest about N52 on other forms of metres in the next three years.

Nothing that the metres are free, he said those customers who cannot wait for the metering plan could apply and purchase meters under the CAPMI scheme. “We will install meter for them within 45 days and thereafter begin to pay them back,”

Amoda said the company has been patronising local metre manufacturers who have been delivering services in compliance with the specifications and in line with the local content agenda.

The smart metre has special functions that enable the company monitor from the office; can disconnect and reconnect customers remotely, and it triggers alarm in the event of bypassing.