PHED Mulls Massive Disconnection Of Debtor Customers …To Sustain Arrest, Prosecution Of Energy Thieves

The management of Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company Plc has concluded plans to launch massive disconnection of debtor customers effective, January, 2022.
The Managing Director of the company, Dr Henry Ajagbawa, who disclosed this during an interactive parley with media executives in Port Harcourt, last Wednesday, however, said that before the commencement of the exercise, customers would be given up to the end of December, 2021, to clear outstanding indebtedness to the company.
Ajagbawa said that to encourage customers to key into the window, a three-week grace period has been given to customers to clear a discounted payment of between 70percent and 80percent of outstanding debts, while the company writes off a graduated indebtedness of between 20percent and 30percent for their loyal customers.
He said that the promo period was to encourage loyal customers to enjoy steady and efficient electricity supply during the Yuletide and New Year through 2022, saying that already the company was seeing signs of high level of effectiveness in revenue collection.
Ajagbawa explained that for the first time since the company began operation of the four-state distribution network in Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Cross River; its financials have shown steady tilt towards profitability, and attributed the giant leap to encouraging attitude of customers in payment of energy consumed.
While expressing confidence that the 66percent revenue collection efficiency level achieved was significant, he complained that a situation where customers paid only 50kobo of every N1 of energy consumed was an unnecessary disincentive to investment, arguing that there was urgent need to bridge the yawning gap.
The PHED chief executive, who lamented that energy theft has continued to weaken the company’s drive towards steady and regular electricity supply to its huge customers in the zone, said that more stringent strategies have been put in place to arrest and prosecute all energy thieves to ensure that those who religiously meet their obligations get regular electricity supply, adding that the company was doing all it can to close all leakages in the system.
He noted the alleged corruption in the energy theft conundrum, but said that as a way of eliminating staff compromise in the entire debacle, the management has ensured that staff welfare was key priority, with salaries paid on 30th of every month, while other incentives have been implemented across the spectrum.
“As part of strategies to improve staff welfare, we have procured and put to use over 100 vehicles to enable technical crews respond to customer needs as quickly as possible; just as we have procured more than 800 personal protective equipment (PPEs) for technicians and engineers. We have also ensured regular promotion of staff every June and December based on measurable performance matrix, with those promoted receiving their benefits effective every January and July, for those promoted in December and June, respectively.
Ajagbawa warned customers against engaging the services of non-PHED staff to address any services, including connection and reconnection of supply lines, installation of transformers or repairs of facilities, saying that most of the fatalities recorded thus far were traceable to use of fake PHED personnel to perform illegal connection or reconnection activities.
While addressing technical issues in the business, Ajagbawa said that since inception two years ago, the new management has embarked on proactive redistribution of more than 10 feeders and/or transformers; repaired over 300 transformers; procured and installed over 30 new transformers; and installed more than 10 automatic circuit reclosers; to boost and balance electricity supply to customers, who are connected to electricity through more than 10,000 transformers in the network.
He also said that in a bid to ensure uninterrupted power supply to its valued customers, the company had at some point, intervened by supporting the rehabilitation of facilities of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), and added that the management was working very closely with all stakeholders, including Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), National Assembly, the Executive in all catchment states, particularly the governors; and community leaders to ensure security of installations and safety of field staff as a veritable means of guaranteeing regular electricity supply.
On the dearth of prepaid meters to capture all customers who need one, Ajagbawa said that at inception, PHED had procured and distributed 79,000 new meters to customers who indicated interest to transit from the analogue structure to automated prepaid regime, saying that with the huge 800,000-unmetered customer deficit inherited from Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) at take-off, it would take concerted synergy and huge investments to close the demand-supply gap.
He, however, said that as a deliberate approach towards bridging the gap, the management has concluded arrangements with meter manufacturers (MAP VENDORS) under the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) to produce more meters for customers at NERC-approved rates of N58,661.69 from N44,896.17 for single phase meters; and N109,684.36 from N82,855.19 for three phase meters.
Ajagbawa advised customers who need prepaid meters to go to designated PHED business offices or zonal centres to register and pay for new meters at approved rates, assuring that customers’ monies would be refunded through direct vending or credit adjustment on bill payments over time.
He assured loyal customers who take advantage of the opportunities that every kobo spent on prepaid meter procurement would be refunded, saying that the initiative was to ensure that the ‘meter-is-free’ policy was fully implemented without compromising the intent and purpose.

By: Nelson Chukwudi