The era of estimated billing will soon be over for electricity consumers in the South-east as Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has commenced free mass metre roll-out under the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP).
Head, Corporate Communications of EEDC, Mr Emeka Ezeh, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Enugu on Sunday.
The National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) is an initiative of the federal government designed to ensure speedy deployment of metres to electricity customers, as a conscious way of closing the identified metering gap in the country.
Ezeh assured that the NMMP metres would get to the customers free, as they would not be required to make any upfront payment to be metred.
“The mass metering programme comes at no cost to our customers.
“We kicked off the roll out of the NMMP meters on Thursday, January 21, using select feeders under our Ogui and Abakpa Districts as pilot.
“Already, pre-installation survey has begun at these pilot locations, and the NMMP meters are being installed simultaneously.
“Customers are requested to cooperate with EEDC as the modalities for deployment will be according to feeders and distribution substations.
“Information on this will be made available to customers as the exercise progresses,’’ he said.
He, however, advised customers against falling victim to some elements that might want to extort them of their hard-earned money in the process; adding that “the meter is free and with time it will get to everyone’’.
According to him, it is expected that by the end of 2021, a substantial number of electricity customers within the EEDC network, which is the entire South-East, will have been metered.
Ezeh noted that the NMMP programme would go a long way in reducing the high Aggregate, Technical, Commercial and Collection (ATC & C) losses of the company.
He also said that the new metering initiative would enhance EEDC’s revenue, eliminate issues bothering on estimated billing and also enable customers to manage their energy consumption.
“EEDC reaffirms its commitment to metering its customers and ensuring that the NMMP, which will help close the metering gap and gradually put an end to issues around estimated billing, succeeds,’’ he added.
