Metering 500KVA transformers can’t solve problem of ‘crazy’ bills, EKEDC told
The ongoing metering of 500KVA distribution transformers by the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EkEDC) cannot in any way end the culture of estimated crazy billing from the electricity Distribution Company (Disco), a statistician has said.
The company in a statement issued recently by its Corporate Communications General Manager, Godwin Idemudia, explained that the company had included the metering of distribution transformers to its meter roll out plan.
EKEDC also noted that so far it has metered 105 units of 500KVA distribution transformers from September 2017 till date and installed 7746 individual meters in 2018 alone.
Idemudia claimed further that metering the distribution transformers will enable the company to determine the exact amount of energy consumed in an area, and that customers will be billed based on the readings from the meters installed at the transformers.
According to him, the move would bridge metering gap of customers who are yet to have individual meters, adding that, “this is to significantly increase the accuracy of the bills distributed and help the company in its efforts to curb energy theft.”
However, a Statistician, Dr. Nonye Ugomba chided the Disco, saying the ploy is a defeatist strategy designed to deepen crazy estimated billing within the area of its jurisdiction.
She said “The law made it clear that Discos should provide meters for consumers’ and not transformers.
“Besides, there will be a problem in sharing bills gotten from a metered distribution transformer because the transformer cannot detect which compound that consumes more power than others.
“So the entire efforts will still boil down to personal meters, thereby rendering whatever meter on transformers’ technically useless.
“Mounting a meter on a transformer is simply self-serving and not to the advantage of unmetered consumers’ hence the meter will not detect what is being consumed per house.
According to Dr. Ugomba, “The best option for Discos still remains metering every consumer they are serving”.
She averred that there is no statistical theory or application that shows that when you meter a central transformer it will give you supposed individual bills payable by households which the regulation is more interested in.
The expert therefore described the EKEDC idea of leaving households to meter transformers as diversionary, ploy to postpone time households would metered buying of endless time at the detriment of milked-electricity consumers.
