Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia
The Managing Director Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Engr Chijioke Okwukenye, said the company in collaboration with Nasarawa Electricity Distribution Limited (NAEDL) is Distributing approximately 35,000 metres across Nasarawa State.
Okwukenye made this known in Keffi local government area of the state at a stakeholders engagement organized by NAEDL, a subsidiary of AEDC.
The theme of the engagement is, “Powering Nasarawa together: Shared responsibilities, shared solutions.”
According to AEDC Managing Director, who was represented by the Chief Operations Officer of AEDC, Blessing Ogbe, the mass metering initiative will be entirely free of charge.
He added that the initiative will be rolled out across specifically identified areas thereby helping to eliminate arbitrary billing and better serve utility customers.
He however warned that energy theft must be efficiently tackled so as not to derail the efforts of electricity generating and distribution companies in their bid to supply and distribute constant electricity to residents of the state.
In her remarks, the Managing Director/ Chief Business Officer, Nasarawa Electricity Distribution Limited (NAEDL), Mrs Veronica Abah, confirmed the collaboration with AEDC to deploy 35,000 metres to customers across the state.
”Currently for us, we have a total population of 233,807 customers. Out of this population, we have a total metered customer population of 175,321. Our current gap, which we call unmetered customers, is 58,486,” she said.
Also speaking, the Managing Director, Nasarawa State Electricity Regulatory Commission (NASERC), Engr Yakubu Loko, applauded the Nasarawa State government for enacting the Nasarawa State Electricity Law, which gives rights to the forming of Nasarawa Electricity Distribution Limited.