NERC moves against Discos over metering plan abuse

Worried that the in- troduction of the Credit Advance Programme for Metering Implementation (CAPMI) has already suffered poor execution despite consum- ers’ willingness to embrace it, the Nigerian Electric- ity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has moved against the nation’s erring electric- ity distribution companies (Discos), threatening them with severe sanctions.

CAPMI is a metering system through which cus- tomers make advance pay- ment to Discos for the cost of metering, after which the money expended for meters is paid back to the respective customers via regular instal- ments of energy units over a period of time.

According to the com- mission, although most cus- tomers had made advance payments, these were not made available to them by the various Discos operating within Nigeria.

Briefing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Sam Amadi, chairman, NERC, said sequel to the Discos’ negative attitude to meter- ing, the commission was set to put up programmes that would ramp up the effective metering of customers.

YANGE IKYAA & KEHINDE ABDULSALAM, Abuja