Customer metering has always been a challenge even before privatisation, several initiatives have been created to ensure the adequate distribution of meters. CAPMI, MAP, and NMMP have been the various schemes set up to enable customer metering. The challenges, and achievements of the initiatives were discussed at the power dialogue by representatives in the concerned units of the power sector.
CAPMI was set up in 2013 and was only able to achieve the disbursement of 4,000 meters in 4 years, which was very poor, customers were responsible for the burden of purchasing the meters, and some who made payments never had their meters installed. This led to the shelving of this initiative and the creation of the MAP scheme. MAP scheme was properly designed and the burden of meter procurements was placed on the meter providers, however, despite the well-thought mechanism, there was no proper monitoring and project management which hindered the progress of the scheme and the most recent initiative is the ongoing NMMP scheme. In this scheme, the DisCos bear the capital outlet of meters with the assistance of the government.
Having looked through the analysis of the various initiatives and the shift of meter procurement burden from the customer to meter providers to DisCos and the government; the mind bugging challenge lies in the management of the implementation of any given initiative. As emphasised by the representative of AEDC at the discussion, ‘if programs are not taken seriously at the management phase with strict monitoring then the country will keep on changing initiatives and seeing the same results.’
In addition to the issues addressed was the concept of phasing out meters and it was understood that a meter can only be changed if it had been certified by NEMSA as inadequate and gives inappropriate measurements. In that light, DisCos have no obligation to change any meter on their own accord. Furthermore, with respect to customers who partook in the other schemes and have not been compensated; NERC has issued a consultation paper which is on review to balance such customers with energy credits worth the amount they are own as stated by the representative from NERC.
Finally, the metering challenge is similar to the very many challenges encountered in the power sector and for a milestone to be achieved in metering, there have to be strict monitoring and evaluation of any given initiative.