- NERC cancels estimated billings for unmetered customers.
- The regulator also capped energy billing for unmetered R2 and C1 customers.
- The capping of estimated bills took effect from February 20th, 2020.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has directed the 11 electricity distribution companies (Discos) to stop further collection of electricity bill under the estimated billing system.
The suspension order signed by NERC’s Chairman, Mr. James Momoh and Commissioner, Legal, Licensing and Compliance, Mr. Dafe Akpeneye, takes effect from February 20, and has been circulated to all Discos concerned.
The copy of the directive order sighted by Daily Sun titled ‘‘Order on the Capping of Estimated Bills in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), repeals the methodology for estimated billion regulations 2012 and shall cease to have effect on the issuance of a new order on the same subject matter by NERC.
NERC directed further that based on the above, the estimated billing methodology is hereby repealed and shall cease to have effect as a basis for computing the consumption of unmetered customers in NESI.
In a stated issued on Tuesday, February 25th, 2020, NERC said all unmetered R2 and C1 customers should not be invoiced for the consumption of energy beyond the cap stipulated by it.
The capping of estimated bills took effect from February 20th, 2020.
The commission classified the basis of consumption into Residence (RS), Commercial (C1), Industrial, and Special.
“Discos shall ensure that all customers on tariff class A1 in their franchise areas are properly identified and metered by 30 April 2020. While all unmetered RS and C1 customers shall not be invoiced for the consumption of energy beyond the cap stipulated in schedule 1 of this order.
“All R1 customers, who by definition consume no more than 50 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy per month, shall continue to be billed at N4 kWhr and a maximum of N200 per month unless otherwise amended by an order of the commission.
“Any customer on such higher tariff classes not metered beyond April 30, 2020, shall remain connected to supply without further payment to the Disco until a meter is installed on the premises under the framework of Meter Asset Provider (MAP) regulations or any other financing arrangement approved by the commission,” the statement added.
The commission said that the energy cap prescribed by the commission shall only apply to R2 and C1 customers, adding that all other customers on higher tariff classes must be metered by Discos no later than April 30, 2020, failing which these customers are not liable to pay any estimated bill issues by Discos.
