The Nigeria Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), the federal government Agency mandated to certify electricity meters imported into the country, has been directed by the President to ensure the installation of 36 million meters nationwide by June 2021.
Mr Goddy Jedy-Agba, the Minister of State for Power, disclosed this on Friday, after inspecting the meter testing facility of NEMSA, in Enugu, which is billed for commissioning in six to eight weeks’ time.
“I came to inspect what is going on and to know the position regarding the meter testing facilities we are going to have here in Enugu.
“I came also to see what has been done and the preparation toward commissioning of the office and I am satisfied with the plans so far,” he said.
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Jedy-Agba said that the office was mandated to ensure that meters imported into Nigerian met the country’s standard.
“We import meters and not manufacturing and our facilities here will be used to test the meters, to ensure that they meet what Nigerians require. It is after the testing and satisfying our standards that the meter will be installed.
“This is an Agency that is responsible for installation and the President has given them the mandate that 36,000,000 meters must be installed by the end of June,” the minister said.
Jedy-Agba, however, said he was surprised at the illegal connections of power around Fidelma hotels, Independent Layout, Enugu.
Mr Peter Ewesor, NEMSA Managing Director in the South East, said that the meter testing station was established as a quality control mechanism for the power sector.
He stressed that the mandate of the agency was to ensure that no meter could be deployed or installed and put into use until it had been tested and met the nation’s requirements.
“Every country has its own technical requirements and specifications for any equipment. Any meter that does not pass through the agency cannot be installed or used, either it is national mass meter programme or meter assets provider regulation.
“There are two tests that we carry out, Type Test and Routine Test. Type test is being conducted to know if the meter has been used before in Nigeria or any other country before approval.
“Routine test ensures that the quality that is approved in type test is what the person deployed,” the NEMSA boss explained.
He also said that the office would serve the entire South East, which had none before now, adding that NEMSA would be performing a ”Periodic Test” of meters that had been installed, to ensure that the meter still maintained its technical accuracy, property and quality.(NAN)