Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) has warned consumers on the consequences of installing substandard and uncertified electricity meters to avoid loss of lives and property.
The Managing Director of NEMSA, Mr Peter Ewesor, gave the warning at a news conference in Abuja, recently.
According to him, the use of uncertified meters can possibly bring about fire outbreak, inaccurate reading of energy supplied/consumed, improper or crazy billing which causes constant disputes between consumers and electricity supplier.
He listed the features of NEMSA tested and certified meters in line with the “Nigeria Metering Code Version 02’’ to include a plastic seal with NEMSA inscription and a NEMSA test label.
Ewesor also said the standard transformers (TSs) capacity for use in Nigeria includes 2.5 Mega Volt Amp (MVA), 5MVA, 7.5MVA, 15MVA up to 30 MVA.
According to him, Distribution Transformers should be 25 kilovolt-Ampere (KVA), 50KVA, 100KVA, 200KVA, 500KVA, 1000KVA, 1500KVA and 2,500.
He said they were more suitable for 33/0.415 or 11/0.415KV operation with 400 Volt at secondary side of the transformer at a nominal frequency at 50Hz with Vector Group Dyn11.
Ewesor said: “Derogation’’ with respect to inappropriate transformer Vector group was not an excuse not to comply with specifications as per extant regulations.
“Derogation’’ is given for installations not in compliance with extant regulations with specified period of time to bring such installation to compliance.
“It does not apply to new installations as these installations at conception/inception must comply with specifications of the extant Nigeria Electricity Supply and Installation Standard (NESIS) Regulations before execution,’’ he said.
Ewesor said the National Council on Power had banned the use 33 KV Primary Feeder lines conveying power from transmission substation to 33/11 KV injection substation for point load nationwide.
He said the ban was as a result of unnecessarily increase line loads on the 33KV primary O-H feeder lines to the detriment of delivery of bulk power to the 33/11KV injection substations.
“Thus the customers on the 11KV0.415 network who are majority are now deprived of adequate and reliable supply,’’ he said.
Ewesor said in line with Part 2, Section B, and Part 5 Section 11.4 of the NEMSA Act-2015, the organisation had been given the mandate to enforce all technical standard and rules.
He said the mandate also gives room for the effective monitoring of implementation of electricity supply by industries.
