>
The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), will be withdraw 200,000 electricity meters within its jurisdiction and replace them with smart metering systems.
The Chairman of IBEDC, Dr Tunde Ayeni disclosed this on Wednesday while signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Trans-Sahara Consortium in Ibadan for the provision of the meters.
He said customers will get the meters at no cost and the system will eliminate sharp practices.
According to Ayeni, ”this is an investment drive to provide optimum service to our customers within our area of franchise. We are partnering with Trans Sahara Consortium to install smart metering program within all our areas of distribution. This MOU we signed today we attract an investment of $400 million to cover the metering plan and infrastructure upgrade within our coverage areas.
“This new technology has been installed in 32 countries in the world, it is a technology that is just coming to Nigeria. This will solve the problem of mistrust between Consumers and Disco. This will allow us to monitor electricity consumption and it is a self auditing system that takes control out of the hands of human and allow us to know exactly what has been consumed”.
He added:”Consumers will not be able to bypass the meters again, because once you try to tamper with it, it will shutdown the system and we shall put strict monitoring device on it to ensure that its worth the investment. It will be installed in every consumers of electricity houses”.
Speaking, the Chairman, Trans-Sahara Consortium, Sen Saminu Turaki said that the new smart meters will provide over 200,000 jobs when it is full installed in the next two years.
“Every transformer will have a business unit. The person managing it will get N300,000 every month, so within a year IBEDC will create 50,000 to 100,000 every year which is in line with the determination of President Buhari’s promise to create two million jobs. I can assure you that Ibadan Disco will create 250,000 sustainable jobs within two years”