Jos disco gets nod from NEMSA to recommence distribution of meter

Kingsley Chukwuka, Jos

The Jos Distribution Company (JED), PLC, said it has recommenced the distribution of meters across it four states of jurisdiction, which are Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe and Benue States.

Managing Director of JED, Alhaji Gidado Modibo, stated this in a chat with newsmen in Jos on Thursday, adding that the meters has been certified by the Nigeria Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), for onward installation.

Recall that NEMSA halted the installation of the new smart meters earlier this year sighting calibration as the reason raised by consumers for the temporal suspension of the installation.

However, the JED boss was happy to information Journalists that the meters has been certified to be calibrated for installation, adding that it has always been so but due to consumers apathy in paying electricity bill, the smart matters were faulted.

He said “our meters are well calibrated and certified, the Nigeria Electricity Management Services Agency, NEMSA has tested our meters and has given us the mandate to continue with our mass metering: we have installed about 26,000 meters in Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe and Benue States and we aim to install another 40,000 between now and December 2017.

“All the metres procured by JED were submitted to Kaduna for test and we complied with that directive and we are happy to report back that by August this year the agency responsible for testing these metres came back to us apologising that there was absolutely nothing wrong with the meters”.

Modibo added that the advantages of the metres are enormous because by having the metres customers would regulate their consumption of power unlike the estimated billings or post-paid, where consumers hardly notice their unit of consumption.

“To the distribution company, the metering would reduce the load on their equipment and would spread the energy across other areas where demand is higher”, he said.

However, Modibo warned that any customer found stealing electricity, via by-passing the meters installed by it’s staff, will be prosecuted in accordance with the law .
He said “We have held customers consultative forum meetings with stakeholders, traditional rulers and we are determined to serve our customers better: so anyone caught stealing electricity will be prosecuted”, he affirms.

“We have also partner with security operatives to arrest those involved in energy theft”, he said.