By Kingsley Chukwuka
The Jos Electricity distribution Company (JED), has said it will meter at least 25,000 customers in the next 60 days, saying that estimated bill is due to be eliminated in the regime of the new administration headed by the Managing Director, Alhaji Mamman Lafia Umar.
JED has always maintained that for effective supply of electricity, customers should strive to obtain meters as it will end estimated billing and enable consumers to pay exactly what they consume.
Umar stated this Friday in Otukpo Local Government Area of Bunue State, during a forum tagged Customers’ Consultative Engagement.
During the forum, JED said at the moment it has metered over 99,739 customers during a role out campaign named Meters Access Provider (MAP).
Represented by the Otukpo Regional Manager, Mr. Joseph Kwaghgba, Umar said customers should take advantage of the mass metering campaign to obtain a meter for themselves.
“Your premises will be metered within 10 days after confirmation of outstanding payment”, the MD said.
According to him: “Estimated billing will be eliminated and consumers will enjoy better energy management. Metered Customers will only pay for what they consume and it is instructive to note that customers will be metered at no cost as the meter cost will be refunded through energy credits”, Umar said.
On his part, the Head, Metering, Engr, Felix Shalzin, who extolled the importance of prepaid meters rolled out the MAP Metering Process.
Shalzin said the first thing a customer should do is to visit the Customer Care Office and obtain the application form for free or go to the company’s website to fill the form and submit.
“After submission there would be Site Verification by the company’s meter technical team for pre-installation survey to ascertain phase-type.
“The company’s team would generate RRR showing meter amount to the customer via SMS/Email for payment at any bank of customer’s choice.
“After that the customer is expected to get payment receipt from the bank and after payment confirmation, the premises will be metered in 10 days”, Felix said.
The electricity company advised customers to be prompt in bill payment and appealed to them to shun vandalisation of electricity equipment, fingering molestation of staff as one of the challenges faced by the company for effective energy installation equipment and monitoring.