The management of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company on Friday said that it had finalised plans to roll out 90,870 meters to customers in Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti in the first quarter of 2021.
Mr Tayo Adekule, the BEDC head of public affairs told journalists in Benin that the meters, allocated to BEDC by the National Electricity Regulatory Commission would be distributed under the National Mass Metering programme starting from Edo.
He said the metering would cover four BEDC franchise states in phases based on a selected distribution transformers covering 90,870 customers over a period of six months.
He explained that out of the total number of meters allocated  to BEDC, Edo would get 40,995, Delta 22,247, Ondo 19,453 and Ekiti 8,294.
Adekunle said metering under this scheme was  free, adding that all premises have to be enumerated and certified by the electricity inspectors before installation of the meters.
He said: “Customers who have collected tellers for meters under the MAP and have not paid shall not pay any amount to acquire a meter.
“Any amount paid to the account of Meters Asset Provider shall be refunded in 21 days subject to customers providing the account details for the refund.
“Twenty per cent of the meters are three phases while 80 per cent are single phase. Customers in Band A which include those with minimum of 20 hours supply, Band B minimum of 16 hours and Band C minimum of 12 hours of power supply will benefit  from the metering.
“Band  D with minimum of eight hours and Band E minimum of six hours of  power supply will benefit from the metering  in the second quarter of 2021,” he added.