The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company ( PHED) which flagged off its mass metering scheme on Monday, November 9, 2020, said it needs 950,000 meters to close the metering gap in the four states of Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River.
The managing director, Henry Ajagbawa, who addressed a mixed audience of industry players at the PHED headquarters on Moscow Road in the Garden City, explained that the official gap is 850,000 while replacement of meters would need 100,000 units.
The CEO who described metering as the missing link in the energy equation, commended the FG for intervening with initial one million meters and eventual six million, saying the FG has recognized that only by solving the metering problem can the energy sector be rescued and positioned to move forward.
The doctorate degree holder in accounting said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been mandated to back the metering initiative. “Every customer is to be metered, and it s no more optional to have meter.”
He said estimated billing has thrown the energy sector into crisis, saying with each house with a meter, estimated billing has gone forever. Describing two critical obstacles to energy business as inadequate power to distribute and refusal of users to pay, the CEO said; “For supply, wee are working with the Rivers State government to boost power supply in the state with a 60mw sub station at Rumuosi near Port Harcourt. Next issue is payment. With full metering, the problem will be resolved”.
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Answering questions on why people still had to pay for procurement of transformers, poles and wirers, the CEO said; “We are suffering from ‘NEPA history’ which is that we are doing the customer a favour whereas the marketing principle is that the customer is doing us a favour by subscribing our product. So, its our duty to supply the product. Not selling means the company would shut down. PHED won’t shut down under my watch.
“So, we have put in a lot of measures to plug holes and get revenue while we supply you more. Call us if anybody is bypassing or doing wrong. We have been arresting such persons.” Urging customers never to pay bribe to get services, the MD said workers delay so the customer can offer them bribe. Call me if you have any such
problem. If your transformer goes bad, call this line. Mine is to deliver value so you can pay.”
Throwing some more light on the mass metering rollout, the head, revenue protection, Canice Emeka, an engineer, admonished customers who chose to bypass. He said the PHED is sure to track each such person. “We will catch you no matter how long it takes’.
He said non-metering is the core fault of the industry. “We must thank the FG for intervening in this matter. We have put in place an easy process of getting meter. It is location-based, so do not press to get a meter.
“We have to do selection process based on location system. This means we will go from location to location. We have to select from each state, so do not rush or press the officials to give you. Its turn by turn.” Emeka mentioned bypass as the greatest nightmare in the electricity distribution business for PHED. “We want to sell power because it is our only business. “Our target is to supply power 16 hours per day in Rivers State. The MD is keen on this objective and target. There is major project in Akwa Ibom to boost power supply; also in Cross River State.
“PHED had started mass metering and did a flag off some weeks back before the FG scheme joined it. Technology is involved. We must catch you if you ever bypass. You will surely pay. We have installed systems to detect them. 90 per cent of meter users have bypassed once.
“Buy energy saving gadgets so you don’t use bypass to reduce cost. Cold rooms are wasting energy. They do reconstruction of their equipment but it consumes huge energy. Anything that does not have thermostat to cut off light when not needed is bad. Anybody running air-conditioner all day is using free light. Go online to find the areas in the first phase.” The Port Harcourt secretary of NERC Forum, Pamela Akubue, said the initiative is fully supported by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). “Huge bypass is going on in the industry, so, let us stop it with mass metering. This management has demonstrated serious determination to get things right. They deserve support. Mass metering must succeed.”
The Rivers State Commissioner of Power, Damiete Herbert Miller, who was represented by Lucky Anama; Director of Power, said the state government was supportive of end to estimated billing. He said the state was supporting in boosting power in the state through a 60mw power plant at Rumosi.
During time for questions, the MD said NERC’S power to approve fees for meters overrides the law making meters free. Besides, he said Discos’ were given loans to procure meters, thus, it may not be free. He said further clarifications were awaited.
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