The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has said it will commence the enforcement of its recently unveiled Meter Asset Provider Regulations, 2018 on April 3, 2018. The Commission in its MAPR 2018, with Regulation No. NERC-R-112, which was released in Abuja on Wednesday, said the policy seeks to bridge the widening metering gap in the electricity supply industry, noting that the gap had increased to about 4.74 million.
The MAPR reads in part;
“These regulations shall come into effect on the 8th day of March, 2018. The provisions of these regulations shall be enforced by the commission from the 3rd day of April, 2018.”
Recall that Vigil360 had reported plans by NERC to deregulate sale of electricity meter by putting an end to the monopoly enjoyed by Distribution Companies in the provision of electricity meters. The new law which was unveiled on Monday hinted that another class of operators in the sector called Meter Asset Providers would now take up the responsibility.
Speaking on the new policy at the 25th Monthly Power Sector Meeting, the Commissioner, Legal, Licensing and Compliance, NERC, Dafe Akpeneye, said MAPs would now take up the duty of providing meters to customers, among other functions. He explained that the commission saw the non-availability of meters as a very serious concern and met with consumers, Discos, financiers and other stakeholders across the industry in order to solve the problem.
We all arrived at the same answer that we have to do something different. We can no longer leave this very important obligation to the distribution companies alone; other players have to come into this space. So, we went about creating the NERC Meter Asset Provider Regulation, 2018. What does this seek to do differently?
“In the past, we left it as a sole responsibility of the Discos in their performance agreement that they are to meter customers. It’s been over four years since privatisation and customers are still complaining. So, to solve this problem, we are creating a new class in the industry called Meter Asset Providers.”
“MAPs will be independent people who will be approved by NERC but contracted by the Discos to bridge the metering gap. In doing this, there will be various options available to customers.
“Electricity consumers will now have the option of self-financing. Those who don’t want this will be able to obtain meters from MAPs and there will be a metering service charge spread over a period of 10 years.”
“MAPs do not only have the responsibility to provide meters, but they also have the responsibility to ensure that those meters are maintained and replaced within 48 hours if anything goes wrong with a meter. This regulation will not only address the issue of metering, but we estimate that it will attract an investment of over N200m in the next three years in the industry and will create jobs
