Electricity coy suspends installation of smart meters over accusation

The Jos Electricity Distribution Company on Friday said that it had suspended installation of smart meters over allegation of non-certification by Nigeria Electricity Management Service Agency.
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that Peter Ewesor, the Managing Director of NEMSA, had alleged that the installed meters were not certified by the agency after inspection on Thursday.
Ewesor said every smart meter certified by NEMSA would carry the seal of the agency.
He said: “The smart meters currently being installed in Plateau are not certified by us and do not carry our seal.”
Alhaji Gidado Modibo, the Managing Director of JEDC, however, said the allegation was untrue.
He said the meters were certified at the National Meter Test Station in Kaduna.
Modibo, who tendered a document, said the meters were certified for installation by NEMSA in 2015.
He said the company would suspend the installation of the meters based on NEMSA’s directive, which had created doubts in the minds of customers.
He said the meters would be taken to NEMSA for re-certification before installation would commence.
Modibo said the company was working tirelessly to replace all wooden poles with concrete poles approved by NEMSA.
He said the company was replacing prepaid meters with smart meters to reduce issues of energy theft.
The managing director alleged that most of the consumers were by-passing prepaid meters.