Replace old meters for free, NERC orders DisCos
The Nigerian power Regulatory Commission has ordered power distribution companies to replace customers' old meters at no cost.The regulatory body's management confirmed this in a statement on Monday.
This comes after allegations that some electrical suppliers have been requesting customers to replace their Unistar prepaid meters.
NERC reaffirmed that distribution providers are solely responsible for meter replacement and that no customer should be subjected to projected billing.
"The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission is aware that several Distribution Companies (DisCos) have directed customers to apply and pay for the replacement of faulty and antiquated meters in their franchise regions.
"This order contradicts the Commission's Order No. NERC/246/2021 on the Structured Replacement of Faulty and Obsolete End-Use Customer Meters in Nigeria's Electricity Supply Industry. The Order explicitly stipulates that no customer with a meter should be forced to switch to approximated billing.
"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," a NERC statement said.
It was previously reported that the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission ordered Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company and Eko Electricity Distribution Company to immediately cease replacing Unistar prepaid meters due to their failure to comply with Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission directives.
The FCCPC also encouraged electricity distribution companies (DisCos) to communicate with energy consumers before assigning them tariff bands, and to rigorously adhere to industry norms when billing unmetered customers. Mr. Tunji Bello, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the FCCPC, delivered this advice during a stakeholders' meeting at the organization's headquarters in Abuja.
The FCCPC also recommended DisCos to communicate with energy consumers before assigning them tariff bands, and to rigorously adhere to industry norms when billing unmetered customers.
Mr. Tunji Bello, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the FCCPC, delivered this advice during a stakeholders' meeting at the organization's headquarters in Abuja.
"The FCCPC's decision to halt the replacement process arises from the DisCos' failure to comply with NERC's Order on Structured Replacement of Faulty and Obsolete End-user Customer Meters in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry. According to the statement, both NERC and NEMSA have supported the FCCPC's position on this subject.
"Citing non-compliance with NERC's order, FCCPC directed Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) and Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDP) to immediately halt their replacement of Unistar prepaid meters," Bello told journalists.
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