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NERC orders DisCos to replace obsolete meters

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The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has mandated the electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to replace faulty and obsolete meters for their customers.

The effective date, according to the commission, was on March 4, 2021.

This was made known in the Order No. NERC/246/2021 the commission issued on March 4, 2021.

Titled: “In the matter of the order on structured replacement of faulty and obsolete end-user customer meter in NESI,” the commission submitted seven million customers in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) are unmetered.

It said that its customer enumeration data that made the revelation estimated that additional three million meters are obsolete and due for replacement.

NERC noted the existence of unmetered customers contributes to the threat of financial stability of the electricity market.

According to the order: “The Commission notes that over 7 million customers are currently unmetered as indicated by customer enumeration data. It is also estimated that an additional 3
million meters are currently obsolete and due for replacement.

“The existence of a large population of unmetered customers contributed to threats
affecting the financial viability of NESI as unmetered end-use customers expressed
deep dissatisfaction with the estimated billing methodology.

“The revenue assurance objectives of DisCos have also been challenged by being unable to properly account for the utilisation of electricity by end-use customers”.

The commission orders as follows –

“A. DisCos shall grant priority to the metering of unmetered customers under the
National Mass Metering Program.

“B. DisCos may replace faulty/obsolete meters under the National Mass Metering
Program but these replacements must be done in strict compliance with the

“Metering Code and other regulatory instruments of the Commission.

C. DisCos shall inspect meters of metered end-use customers and the replacement
notice shall contain the following –

I. The date of inspection.

ii. Name, designation and signature of the officer that inspected the meter.

III.  The fault identified in the meter

iv. The date for the installation of the replacement meter.

D. The Commission shall be copied on all replacement notices issued to end-use
customers for the purpose of conducting random reviews of the replacement
exercise.

E. New meters must be installed upon the removal of the faulty/obsolete meter and
under no circumstances shall the customer be placed on estimated billing on
account of the DisCo’s failure to install a replacement meter after the removal of
the faulty/obsolete meter.

F. The customer and DisCo representative shall jointly note the units on the meter
being replaced and the customer must be credited with these units within 48 hours
after the installation of the meter.

G. Customers shall only be billed for loss of revenue where the DisCo establishes meter
tampering, by-pass or unauthorised access as contained in NERC
Order/REG/ 41/2017 on Unauthorised Access, Meter Tampering and Bypass.

H. Activation tokens shall be issued to customers immediately after replacement of the
faulty/obsolete meter.

I. DisCos shall file monthly returns with the Commission on the replacement of
faulty/obsolete meters along with their proposal for the decommissioned meters.

16. This Order may be cited as the Order on the Structured Replacement of
Faulty/Obsolete Meters of End-Use Customers.”

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BREAKING: Tinubu, Starmer Meet as £746m Port Investment Deal Set for Signing

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President Bola Tinubu is currently meeting with United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer in a high-level bilateral engagement aimed at strengthening ties between Nigeria and Britain.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Monday, said the meeting will culminate in the signing of various Memoranda of Understanding and agreements, including those on trade, investment, defence, and cultural cooperation.

The statement said the meeting reinforces Nigeria’s commitment to deepening bilateral relations, attracting foreign investment, and modernising key infrastructure to support economic growth.

It added that a major highlight of the visit was the signing of a £746 million financing agreement between UK Export Finance, the Nigerian Ports Authority, and the Federal Ministry of Finance.

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The statement said the deal will fund the refurbishment of two key maritime infrastructures — the Lagos Port Complex (Apapa Quays) and the Tin Can Island Port Complex.

The President and the First Lady had earlier been the guests of their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle.

Tinubu was accompanied by a high-profile delegation, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi; Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris Mohammed; and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu.

Other members of the delegation include Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole; Minister of Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa; Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani; Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa; National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu; and Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed.

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Breaking: Senegal Lose AFCON Crown as CAF Declares Morocco Winners

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Morocco have been officially crowned champions of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after the CAF Appeal Board overturned the result of the final against Senegal. The decision comes after extraordinary scenes in Rabat where the Lions of Teranga walked off the pitch in protest, leading to a retrospective 3-0 forfeit victory for the host nation.

In a detailed statement, the CAF Appeal Board confirmed that the appeal lodged by the FRMF was “declared admissible in form and the appeal is upheld.” This landmark ruling effectively strips Senegal of what would have been their second continental crown, rewarding the hosts for a match that descended into chaos during extra time.

The roots of the controversy lie in a heated moment deep into stoppage time when Morocco’s Brahim Diaz went down in the box. While the referee initially waved play away, a VAR review resulted in a spot-kick for the hosts. This sparked a furious reaction from the Senegalese bench, with head coach Pape Thiaw instructing his players to return to the dressing room in a protest that lasted several minutes.

The CAF Appeal Board found that “the conduct of the Senegal team falls within the scope of Articles 82 and 84 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations.” By leaving the field of play, Senegal was deemed to have infringed on the regulations, leading to the administrative 3-0 defeat. The ruling sets aside the previous CAF Disciplinary Board decision and confirms that the protest lodged by Morocco has been fully upheld

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NRC Confirms 26 Injured in Mid-Route Train Incident, Says Opeifa

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Mo No fewer than 26 passengers and onboard personnel sustained varying degrees of injuries following a train incident along the Abuja–Kaduna rail corridor on Monday.

The incident, which occurred at about 9:16 a.m. near Asham Station, involved the KA-2 service travelling from Rigasa to Idu. According to an interim report released by the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), a loud bang was heard as the power car and a trailing locomotive collided with one of the coaches.

Preliminary findings indicate that the incident may have been caused by a fault in one or more couplers, leading to a possible disconnection within the train formation. However, authorities confirmed that none of the coaches derailed.

The train had earlier departed Rigasa Station at 7:15 a.m., arriving at Jere slightly ahead of schedule before departing a few minutes later after an additional locomotive was coupled to improve operational resilience.

Following the incident, affected components—including a locomotive, power car, and one passenger coach—were detached from the train to allow the journey to continue safely.

A total of 481 people were onboard at the time, including passengers, crew members, security personnel, vendors, cleaners, and other service providers. Of the 459 passengers booked for the trip, 429 were confirmed to have boarded.

Despite the disruption, the train resumed movement at about 9:42 a.m., arriving in Kubwa at 10:10 a.m. and terminating at Idu Station at 10:39 a.m., with an overall delay of approximately 38 minutes.

The NRC stated that injured persons included passengers, staff, and security personnel, although details of the severity of injuries were not fully disclosed.

Train services on the route were later restored the same day, with subsequent trips resuming operations, albeit with delays. The Managing Director of the NRC, Kayode Opeifa, was onboard one of the recovery services to monitor the situation.

The corporation assured the public that a full investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the incident and to prevent future occurrences.

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