Whereas the number of approved Meter Asset Providers (MAPs) kept rising, strong indication has emerged revealing that none of the electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) is yet ready to seal memorandum of understanding (MoU) with any of the metering firms.
Only weekend, Business Hilights gathered that the number of companies seeking to become meter asset providers in the Nigeria electricity supply industry has increased to 101.
It would be recalled that the lead regulator, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), in April invited interested investors to apply for ‘No Objection’ to enable them to participate in the meter procurement process to be conducted by electricity distribution companies.
Whereas about 22 MAPs were registered in May as prospective meter asset providers, weekend, the total of MAPs has climbed to 101 firms being granted ‘No Objection’ as of October 17, 2018.
However, on why upon the rise in MAPs, there had been any known deal with Discos, an official of the MAPs confided in Business Hilights in an undercover interview that “Some of us in MAPs are running out patience with Discos who has kept on raising frivolous issues just to keep delaying reach a deal to use meters produced by any MAP”.
The meter manufacturer decried that “We do not why Discos are not willing to do business MAPs,” threatening that some of them may be forced to report the Discos to NERC as deliberately delaying metering of Nigerian electricity consumers’.
“What I can say I have observed is that, many of them (Discos) are skeptical of our meters in terms of allowing tamper or meter bypass, but all our meters have passed all required tests by the authorities. Still yet, MAPs are finding it hard to make progress with Discos up till now,” the official averred.
The MAP regulations, which introduced another class of operators in the power sector called meter asset providers, is expected to eliminate estimated billing practice, attract private investment into the provision of metering services, and close the metering gap through accelerated meter roll-out.
The regulations came into effect on April 3, 2018 and all the 11 Discos are required to commence the procurement process of engaging meter asset providers to serve their service areas in accordance with an approved roll-out plan.
According to the regulations, the distribution licensees (Discos) and the MAPs shall enter into a metering service agreement, which shall provide for the number of meters to be installed by MAP in the distribution licensee’s network over an agreed period and the recovery of the cost of meter asset plus a reasonable return over a period of 10 years, among others.
MAPs have grossed from 22 to 87 and now 101. Some of the firms are Huawei Technology Company Nigeria Limited, Bilview Energy Limited, Chintech Electro Nigeria Limited, Holley Metering Limited, Meron Nigeria Limited, Integrated Power Limited, MBH Power Limited, Trimani Engineering Limited, Sapropel Energy Resources Limited, Megawatt Distribution International Limited, Unistar Hi-Tech Systems Limited, and Momas Electricity Meters Manufacturing Company Limited.
