NERC calls for restraint as customers intensify attacks on Discos        

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has advised electricity consumers to explore its complaint and redress mechanism rather than resorting to jungle justice in settling disputes with officials of electricity distribution companies, also known as Discos.

The appeal is coming on the heels of rising incidents of attacks on staff of electricity distribution companies in recent months.

The NERC has directed Discos to provide meters for all maximum demand meter customers within their networks not later than the last quarter of 2016, according to statement released

Tuesday by the commission and signed by Mike Faloseyi, its spokesperson.

Henceforth, NERC said it will sanction any defaulting Discos, beginning from the fourth quarter of the year, as agreed during the meeting it with the Discos on metering, especially of maximum demand electricity customers or those connected on the 11 Kv (high tension wire) and mostly with their dedicated transformers.

This directive is sequel to the rising complaints from all categories of electricity customers over estimated bills they consider irreconcilable with the available power supply in their respective networks.

NERC has consistently frowned at Discos their refusal to meter their maximum demand customers under the Credit Advance Payment for Metering Initiative (CAPMI).

CAPMI is the commission’s initiative that permits willing electricity customers to pay for meter by advancing money to Discos, with the condition that they install the meters within 45 days after payment.

A customer who subscribes to CAPMI is refunded his money with interest through discounted electricity bills over a period of time.

NERC, in its directive, observed that most of the Discos have refused to accept maximum demand customers under the CAPMI scheme.                       

Meanwhile, maximum demand customers are fewer in number than the other categories of customers and should have been easily served by the Discos.

According to a directive signed by Anthony Akah, the acting chairman of NERC, “any customer who approaches your Disco for metering under CAPMI scheme must have their meters within the CAPMI stipulated timeline of 45 days.”

YANGE IKYAA