From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has directed all Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to refund their customers wrongly billed at the new rate not later than Thursday April 11, 2024, and file evidence of compliance with the commission on April 12, 2024.
The regulator said that all the DisCos shall ensure that only the newly-approved Band A feeders listed in their April 2024 supplementary orders are maintained as Band A for the purpose of vending to pre-paid customers and billing for post-paid customers on their networks.
NERC in a statement said that the DisCos are required to immediately post on their websites the schedule of approved Band A feeders that have been affected by the rate review just as they should set up a portal by April 10, 2024 on their website that allows all customers to check their current bands by entering their meter or account numbers.
The statement said: “All customers wrongly billed at the new rate should be refunded through energy tokens not later than Thursday April 11, 2024, and file evidence of compliance with the commission by April 12, 2024.
“The commission shall monitor compliance with the requirements listed above and shall continue to provide support to all stakeholders as required.”
It would be recalled that on April 3, 2024, NERC increased electricity tariff from 66/kilowatts to N225/kilowatts, citing inflation, exchange rate and other economic considerations as reason.
Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, the Vice Chairman of NERC, Musliu Oseni said that the increase would affect only customers under the Band A classification who enjoy 20 hours of electricity.
According to Oseni, customers on Band A represent a 15 per cent of the 12 million electricity customers in the country, adding that the commission had also downgraded some customers on the Band A to Band B due to the non-fulfillment of the required hours of electricity provided by the electricity distribution company.
“We currently have 800 feeders that are categorised as Band A, but it will now be reduced to under 500. This means that 17 per cent now qualify as Band A feeders. These feeders only service 15 per cent of total electricity customers connected to the feeders,” he said.