Firm to Tackle Leakages in Power Distribution with New Technology

CWG Plc, a technology solution company, has sent a proposal to the federal government on how to block leakages among electricity distribution companies (Discos), through a new metering technology that comes with electricity theft prevention device.

The new technology, which has full local content development, was conceptualised and designed locally by CWG, in partnership with a foreign firm.

The technology, according to the firm, is capable of generating more revenue for government and the Discos, while block electricity leakages and providing better payment options for electricity consumers.

Discussing the new technology at a seminar organised for Technology Editors in Lagos recently, the Group Chief Executive Officer, CWG Plc, Mr. James Agada, said the company has the capacity to partner with Discos for the full deployment of the new metering technology that comes with electricity theft prevention devices.

The solution, he said, would be an added service for the Discos to solve the energy crises in the country, which he said do not come from power generation, but from power distribution. The new meter has multi-functions with backend software, mobile app, WiFi enabled and could be used as postpaid or prepaid metre.

Also, the Vice President, Corporate Development at CWG Plc, Mr. Daniel Shobhan Das, said the new technology from CWG would help address all categories of electricity consumers in the country, which he classified as unbilled, non-paying and unknown consumers who are all consumers of distributed electricity from Discos.

He said although some electricity consumers were known to be payment worthy, but they operate outside the official billing network of Discos, while some are known but pay to corrupt officials and some operate illegal metres.

“All these identifies challenges are crippling revenue generation, but our solution has the capability to address all of that and put an end to electricity leakages,” Das said.

According to him, Discos are faced with lack of finance for metering and theft prevention technology and they are severely under debt and unable to provide payment bank guarantees for meter purchase orders.

He further explained that the Discos had been reported to be defaulting on payments to metre manufacturers who have supplied based on payment promises.

Das however said the CWG smart metering technology has theft prevention devices, utility analytics and healthy utility that will help Discos generate more revenue.

“The smart metre has high speed 4G LTE Modem, Wi-Fi Router inbuilt into the CIU for wireless internet access, remote off/on of electric supply line, mobile and web-based token recharge with manual option as a failsafe measure, as well as a web-based dashboard view and control of the energy consumption,” Das said.

Group Head, Brand and Marketing Communications, CWG Plc, Anthonia Ehanmo said CWG would continue to address specific Nigerian challenges though innovative technology solution. CWG has expanded its operations to Ghana, Cameroon and Uganda, with plans to expand into other African countries, Ehanmo added.