Prepaid meters coming enmasse as NERC names 22 firms to buy, install meters
Barely two months after the approval of the Meter Asset Provider Regulations (2018), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) weekend, announced the clearance of not less than 22 companies to procure and install meters for power consumers across the country.
The target is to bridge the over four million metering gap in the power sector and end the intractable cases of estimated billing which had been pitching power Distribution Companies (Discos).
Government’s targets in establishing the unit include facilitation of the closure of the wide metering gap in the Nigerian electricity supply industry within three years and driving local content in meter production.
Business Hilights gathered that the ‘No Objection’ is to qualify intending investors to participate in the meter procurement process.
Details show that the regulations mandate electricity distribution companies to engage meter assets providers, who will fund the purchase, installation and replacement of meters to meet the Discos’ metering obligations to their customers.
In a statement, NERC noted that “This is to ensure that all electricity customers are metered, thereby reducing incidences of estimated electricity billing to the barest minimum.
“The commission, having conducted due diligence on the supporting documents to the applications submitted by interested investors, has granted successful applicants ‘No Objection’ to participate in the procurement process for meter assets provision in accordance with Section 8 subsection 4 of the Meter Assets Providers Regulations, 2018.”
Companies granted the ‘No Objection’ include 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.
