Against the backdrop of the recent increase in the prices of end-use single-phase and three-phase metres which has continued to generate reactions from various quarters, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), on Tuesday, said payment for this is optional.
It explained that the National Mass Metering Program (NMMP) designed to provide all consumers of electricity with metres is a policy intervention of the Federal Government supported by CBN concessionary loans to DisCos.
In a statement obtained by Tribune Online, in Abuja, the Commission stressed that under the provision, customers obtained meters for free adding that a total of over 900,000 units of meters have so far been installed under the take-off phase of the scheme.
It further disclosed that it has commenced the procurement process for the next phase of the programme under which about four million units of meters would be procured.
However, the Commission noted that because the NMMP and the Metre Asset Providers(MAP) were being run concurrently, customers may elect to acquire a meter immediately from Meter Asset Providers {MAPs).
It said this was in line with its approved regulatory framework under the MAP/NMMP regulations which provide for the refund of the cost of the meter through energy credits to the customer at the time of vending.
The statement partly read: “Pending the conclusion of the NMMP procurement processes and the commencement of manufacturing/installation, consumers may elect to acquire a meter immediately from Meter Asset Providers {MAPs).” The recently issued notice by the Commission on the adjusted cost of metres is designed to protect consumers from arbitrary pricing by any MAP in the context of recent changes in macroeconomic parameters affecting the cost o production.”
The Commission had recently announced a 30.6 per cent increase in the unit for single-phase meters and 32.4 per cent for three-phase.
The Commission conveyed this in a notice to the Managing Directors(MD) of the 11 electricity distribution companies (DisCos) signed by its Chairman, Sanusi Garba.