BEDC to roll out 190,000 meters in Edo under MAP scheme

BEDC Electricity Plc. (BEDC) has announced its plan to roll out 190,000 meters within the next two years in Edo State with a monthly cumulative average of 10,000 units under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme.

Executive Director, Commercial, Mr Abu Ejoor made this known during a Media launch of Edo State MAP by BEDC at the Head Office in Benin, stressing that in taking off, MAP will initially have up to three months of build-up roll out, which will eventually pick up with the expected monthly rate of 20,000 and 500,000 in all, across its franchise areas.

Mr Ejoor disclosed that BEDC was taking off in two major locations; GRA to Ihama in Benin City and Okpela in Auchi North, adding that customers should cooperate with enumerators going round various locations in Edo and respond promptly to request for completion of enumeration forms.

“MAP will carry out meter roll-out location by location, route by route, street by street, while an enumeration is a prerequisite for meters to be provided under MAP”, he declared, saying, that in Edo state, the rollout of meters would be handled by three of its MAP parties, namely FLT, G-Unit Engineering and Turbo Energy.

According to Mr. Ejoor, customers are required to complete the customer data and survey form, after which the MAP officials will assess the customer’s premises in readiness for metering, adding “once a customer premises is cleared, he will be advised on how to pay for the meter, whether single-phase or three-phase.”

Speaking on current power reality in Edo state, the Executive Director affirmed that 44 per cent of BEDC’s power allocation of 9 per cent from the national grid comes to Edo state, hinting that average of 86,061MW of electricity is delivered to the state monthly.

He added that about 14 per cent power generated is lost due to poor network infrastructure, saying work was ongoing to improve the network, adding “about 36 per cent of power generated is lost through commercial theft or illegal consumption and non-payment of bills. About 30 per cent of power supplied to households are wasted due to inefficient management of use.”

Mr Ejoor equally informed journalists that the 132KV breaker of the 15MVA transformer at Okpella transmission station has been replaced with the transformer back to service.

“The 1 No 40MVA TCN transformer substation in Auchi is close to completion as the work on the control room has progressed. BEDC has already completed the construction of the associated 33KV lines in readiness to pick load once the project is realized”, he added.

Also speaking, Chief State Head, Edo, Mr Abel Enechaziam listed major bottlenecks from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) end to include; the failed 1x40MVA power the transformer in Oghara out since and the failed 2 Nos $0MVA grounding transformers since 2017.

Enechaziam also listed other challenges to include; limitations in re-arranging distribution network to improve power supply due to inflexibility, network and equipment vandalisation of over 40 in the state this year.