By CHARLES IWUOHA

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) and MOJEC International Limited have started to extend mobile Meter Asset Provider (MAP) metering programme to homes of Enugu residents.

The mobile MAP metering programme ensures meters are installed same day once a reimbursable payment is made after customer’s provision of means of identification and electricity bill.

Flagging off the programme on Sunday in Jubilee Estate, Enugu, the Managing Director of EEDC, Mr Praveen Chorghade, said that MAP is a metering intervention initiative introduced by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

Chorghade said that the MAP metering allows meter manufacturers and meter vendors to meter customers while they (customers) pay for the meters.

According to him, it is however designed in a way that customers will be reimbursed with the cost of the meter through energy credit, over a 36-installment period.

“The need to close the existing metering gap in our network has necessitated our partnering MOJEC International Limited in our quest to ramp up our metering efforts and move away from the estimated billing and direct connection.

“The introduction of this Mobile MAP Metering is a clear innovative improvement on the usual MAP meter process which takes up to 10 working days to meter a customer and cut down the process to an ‘Instant Meter Programme;, to enable EEDC to serve the customers with ‘meter at your door step’.

“We have therefore selected two locations in Enugu for the pilot of this Mobile MAP Metering exercise, and we intend to extend the same to other locations within our coverage area, as a conscious way of migrating more of our customers from the estimated billing to the metered platform.

“Today, we are at the Jubilee Estate to meter our customers residing at Upper Chime Avenue, New Haven and Premier Layout, and it will last till June 29.

“Similarly, from June 30 to July 2, we shall be at the Trade Fair Complex Gate to meter customers of GRA Onitsha Road Feeder and Golf Estate.

“All that the customers need to do to initiate the metering process is to simply present a copy of their bill and a valid means of identification, pay for the meter and once payment is confirmed, the meters will be installed for them the same day.

The Single-phase meter goes for N63, 061.27; while the Three-phase meter is N117, 910.69. These prices are all-inclusive of VAT,” he said.

Speaking, the Group Managing Director of MOJEC International Ltd, Ms Chantelle Abdul, said that the company produces three million meters annually and was ready to close the metering gap in the South-East.

Abdul said: “We are committed technically and financially to make this happen through the innovative Mobile MAP Metering programme that have started in Enugu and will be spreading to the entire South-East.

“EEDC remains a leading DisCo in provision of meters to its customers in the country and we commend the board and management of EEDC for being committed in ensuring Nigerians, especially people of South-East, are metered.”

The Chairman of Electricity Committee of Jubilee Estate, Chief Dubem Okoye, thanked EEDC and MOJEC for making access to prepaid meters stress-free, protocol-free and time for residents of the estate and its environs.

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