New Deadline For Metering Of Electricity Customers In Nigeria. Daily Law Tips (Tip 536) by Onyekachi Umah, Esq., LLM. ACIArb(UK)
Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) on 20 February 2020 issued a new deadline for metering of all electricity customers in Nigeria. NERC also abolished estimated billing of customers by electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs).
Earlier in 2018, NERC in order to ensure electricity customers were metered introduced programs that allowed DISCOs to engage third parties (Meter Asset Provider) to provide meters in their coverage areas. Meter Asset Provider (MAP) was approved on 8 March 2018 to cover the meter gap in electricity sector by metering all Nigerians with 3 years. Unfortunately, till date, meters are still not available though estimated bills are forced on customers every month. Note that sometime in June 2016, NERC had stipulated deadline of 30 November 2016 for total metering of all maximum demand customers in Nigeria but later extended same to 1st March 2017. Till date there is huge metering deficit in the sector.
By “ORDER ON THE CAPPING OF ESTIMATED BILLS IN THE NIGERIAN ELECTRICITY SUPPLY INDUSTRY, 2020” issued by NERC, signed on 20 February 2020, NERC mandates DISCOs to identify and meter all electricity users before 30 April 2020. And, it repealed NERC’s (Methodology for Estimated Billing) Regulations 2012, thereby abolishing estimated billing of electricity customers in any part of Nigeria. It also set the maximum fee that any unmetered user can be charged in any part of Nigeria, monthly.
The said Order from NERC applies and binds all the electricity Distribution Companies in Nigeria. The distribution companies in Nigeria, are;
Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc (AEDC),
Benin Electricity Distribution Plc (BEDC), Eko Electricity Distribution Plc (EKEDC), Enugu Electricity Distribution Plc (EEDC), Ibadan Electricity Distribution Plc (IBEDC), Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC), Jos Electricity Distribution Plc (JEDC), Kaduna Electricity Distribution Plc (KNEDC), Kano Electricity Distribution Plc (KEDC), Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Plc (PHEDC) and Yola Electricity Distribution Company Plc (YEDC).
References ;
NERC’s ORDER ON THE CAPPING OF ESTIMATED BILLS IN THE NIGERIAN ELECTRICITY SUPPLY INDUSTRY, 2020. A copy can be downloaded above cited authority can be downloaded via this link; NERC+Order+on+Capping+of+Estimated+Bills+in+NESI-24022020 or by visiting the direct website of NERC via the link below: website of NERC on capping of estimated billing.
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Feel free to reach the author, ask questions or make inquiries on this topic or any other legal issues via onyekachi.umah@gmail.com or +2348037665878.
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