FCCPC CEO to DisCos: Replace prepaid meters without billing consumers

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has asked electricity distribution companies (DisCos) to develop ways to phase out prepaid meters without arbitrarily billing consumers.

Tunji Bello, executive vice-chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) spoke on Thursday at a stakeholders meeting on metering challenges in Abuja.

On October 18, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) ordered DisCos to replace phased-out meters.

Ikeja Electric had also announced that the Unistar prepaid meters, first deployed over a decade ago, will no longer be supported from November 14, due to technological upgrades and the token identifier (TID) rollover issue. After receiving complaints from consumers who raised concerns about the cost of getting a meter and the bill incurred during the period of changing the meters, the FCCPC decided to hold a meeting with electricity stakeholders.

The stakeholders include the NERC, Nigeria Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), the 12 DisCos, and the manufacturer of Unistar prepaid meters.

Speaking at the meeting on Tuesday, Bello said while the phasing out may be compulsory, DisCos must provide clarity on the process and prioritise the rights of consumers.

He also said the meeting provided a platform to advise DisCos on bearing the replacement costs for their meters without imposing additional charges on consumers. TheCable