Electricity regulator, NERC, directs Nigerians without prepaid meters to stop paying bills
Electricity regulator, NERC, directs
Nigerians without prepaid meters to stop paying bills
The Nigerian
Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has reminded electricity consumers not
provided with prepared meters by March 1 to stop paying electric bills
presented by Distribution Companies (DISCOs) on the basis of estimated billing
methodology.
The
commission also ordered the DISCOs not to disconnect any such customer that
refuses to pay the bills and further advised such customers to report to the
commission if disconnected.
NERC gave
the directive on Wednesday in a statement on its website and said
it was part of its sanctioning of defaulting DISCOs who failed to provide
meters for its customers before the March 1 deadline.
In line with
its mandate of protecting the rights of customers, NERC had in June 2016 after
consultation with the operators, directed DISCOs to conclude metering of all
customers before November 30, 2016.
According to
NERC, the commission at the expiration of that notice, granted three months
moratorium which expired on March 1, to enable the DISCOs
effectively execute the metering deployment plan for MD (maximum demand)
customers.
According to
the statement, the sanction was sequel to the expiration of the initial
directives by NERC and the moratorium period given to DISCOs to meter
consumers.
The
statement reads in part:
“A directive
was issued to distribution companies by the Commission in June 2016 for all MD
customers to be metered by 30 November 2016.
“The
Commission received appeals on compliance deadline from distribution companies
prior to the expiration of the 30 November 2016 deadline. The deadline
was extended to 1 March 2017 after consideration of appeals received from
distribution companies.
“Upon due
consideration of facts above and the expiration of the compliance deadline
granted to distribution companies on the metering of MD customers; the
Commission hereby directs as follows –
“1.
Any MD customer that was not metered by 1 March 2017 shall not pay any
electricity bill presented by a distribution company on the basis of estimated
billing methodology and these customers are advised to report this to the
Commission.
“2.
No distribution company shall disconnect any MD customer that was not
metered by 1 March 2017 on the basis of the customer’s refusal to pay a bill
issued after the compliance deadline on the basis of estimated billing
methodology.
“3.
Any MD customer that was not metered by 1 March 2017 should notify the
Commission directly.”
