The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has warned electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) not to forcefully migrate customers with faulty meters to estimated billing regime.
The warning came as the regulator reiterated its directive that the DisCos owe the obligation to replace faulty and old meters at no cost to customers.
Also, some customers yesterday bemoaned what they described as a ploy by the DisCos to frustrate customers into accepting estimated billing by denying them access to reload energy credits.
In a statement yesterday, NERC stated that it had been notified that the DisCos were instructing customers to apply and make payments for the replacement of spoiled and obsolete meters in their franchise areas.
The regulator noted that such instruction by DisCos contravened the Commission’s Order No. NERC/246/2021on the Structured Replacement of Faulty and Obsolete end-use Customer Meters in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
The statement reads: “The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission is aware that some Distribution Companies (DisCos) have instructed customers to apply and pay for the replacement of faulty and obsolete meters within their franchise areas.
“This instruction contravenes the Commission’s Order No. NERC/246/2021 on the Structured Replacement of Faulty and Obsolete end-use Customer Meters in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.”
NERC reiterated that no customer with a meter should be forcefully migrated to estimated billing.
According to the regulator, if any customer’s meter is adjudged by any DisCo to be obsolete or faulty, it is the responsibility of the DisCo to replace the meter free of charge, provided that the fault was not caused by the customer.
