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NERC says DisCos must meter customers before effecting new tariff

NERC says DisCos must meter customers before effecting new tariff

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has listed three conditions DisCos must meet to review electricity tariff.

These include that customers are consulted and communicated a guaranteed level of electricity service by the DISCOs based on hours of supply, that they are metered and the number of estimated billing through the strict enforcement of the capping regulation.

In a press release issued Wednesday night, the commission said that tariff reviews going forward will only follow service-based principle.

“Under these service-based principles DISCOs will only be able to review tariff rates for customers when they consult with customers, commit to increasing the number of hours of supply per day and quality of service,” the commission in a said.

NERC said that in all cases poor and vulnerable Nigerians will not experience any increase.

In line with these expectations, DISCOs are directed to engage with their customers on a Service Based Tariff structure.

READ ALSO: NERC caps meter prices but different specs challenge local manufacturers

“This means that unmetered customers will not experience any cost increase beyond what is chargeable to metered customers in the same area.

Even under the above conditions, there will be no change in tariff for the most vulnerable as tariffs for those consuming 50KW or less remain frozen. Customers receiving less than 12 hours of supply will also not experience any change in tariffs.

NERC also said that President Buhari has directed that there should be a nationwide massmetering program in an effort by the Federal Government to put a stop to estimated and arbitrary billing for electricity.

He has also approved a waiver of the import levy on meters, so that those that do not have meters can be supplied as early as possible at reasonable costs.

The general public and all stakeholders in the power sector are by this statement urged  to disregard any reports of an arbitrary tariff increase affecting Nigerians, the commission said.

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