The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has scolded some electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) who force customers to clear their bills before they are metered. NERC in a statement by its spokesman, Dr Usman Abba-Arabi said the Commission’s attention was brought to the practice of having customers of DisCos invest in the replacement of distribution infrastructure like transformers and cables as a condition for restoring electricity supply.
NERC referred to its ‘Regulation for Investment in Electricity Networks’ that permits customers who wish to invest in the assets to enter a written ‘Project Agreement’ with the DisCos, stating how the customer will recover his investment. The Commission directed customers to report the DisCos “that has engaged in the practice of forcing customers to supply materials and installation as a precondition for providing or restoring electricity supply.”
It also dismissed the reports of some DisCos removing meters of over 10 years from customers premises based on a NERC directive. “The Commission has issued no such directive to the licensees and no metered customer should be transferred to “estimated billing” on the premise that meters in use for more than 10 years are dysfunctional,” NERC clarified.
The Commission also condemned the DisCos for forcing customers to pay all outstanding electricity debts before they can pay and get their meters under the ongoing Meter Asset Provider (MAP) Regulation. It said with MAP, about 5 million meters will be installed and the Commission will soon phase out the ‘estimated billing’ which it described as an “unwarranted practice”. “The Commission shall soon prescribe a cap representing the maximum amount that a DisCo may charge an unmetered customer. “NERC requests customers denied the opportunity of acquiring meters under MAP on account of outstanding estimated bills should contact the Commission by sending an email with full details of the circumstances,” the statement said.
