Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company on Wednesday said it would establish a $250 million meter manufacturing plant in Kaduna before the end of 2016.

Mr. Garba Haruna Managing Director, Kaduna Electric, disclosed at the flag-off of the distribution of 20,000 free smart electricity meters to customers in the state.

Haruna said the plant would enhance availability of electricity meters in the company’s franchise states of Kaduna, Kebbi, Zamfara and Sokoto.

He said that already, a site had been secured and work would soon begin to setup the plant.

According to him, the aim is to meet the company’s target of distributing 500,000 meters to its customers in the next five years. He also disclosed that local production of the meters would add value to electricity distribution in the country.

“This will also reduce the cost of importing some of the components for producing the meters for our franchise states and the country.

“This will also create more employment opportunities for graduates and other supporting staff," Haruna said, adding that the meter manufacturing plant would also help the company cut down the cost of training its technical staff.

“With the plant, customers would not have to wait for months for their meters to be installed,” he added.

On his part, the Chairman of the company, Alhaji Yusuf Hamisu appealed to the Federal Government to introduce a robust monetary policy to stabilise the country’s currency.

Mr. Hamisu said the instability of the Naira had affected the company’s import plans of some major components for electricity distribution, thereby making it difficult to provide effective services.

He urged the government to review modalities for the supply of gas to indigenous power companies using dollar rate. According to him, the current value of US dollar in the market has made the arrangement not feasible.

He also commended the Kaduna State Government for embarking on house numbering and street naming, saying it would enhance the distribution of meters to consumers. About 20,000 smart meters are expected to be distributed free to various categories of consumers in the state.

Customers with outstanding debts are required to pay 60 per cent of the amount they owe before getting a one phase meter, while those with up to N10,000 debts would pay in full to get three-phase meters.

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