By ABAH SUNDAY, Abuja
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has directed that all customers wrongly billed by the distribution companies (DisCos) in the wake of the new price regime approved for those on Band A by the Commission be refunded through energy tokens no later than Thursday 11th April 2024.
In a statement issued at the weekend, NERC directed all the DisCos to file evidence of compliance with the Commission by 12th April 2024, urging them to provide as much clarity as possible to all affected customers.
SUMMIT POST reports that the Commission issued a new tariff order on Wednesday which affected only the Band A class of customers (i.e. those who enjoy an average of 20 hours of light per day), with their tariff increased by about 241 percent to 225 kilo-watt-hour (kWh).
But it turned out that customers in the other Bands – B, C, D, and E were also being billed according to the new rate, even some who were not supposed to be on band A we’re wrongly placed and billed in that category.
Hence, after a detailed review and customer feedback, which revealed that AEDC had applied the new tariff to all customer bands, NERC, on Friday, fined the Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc, AEDC, for flouting the customer band classifications electricity billing provisions, mandating them to reimburse all customers in the other Bands that were billed above the allowed customer categories/tariff bands provided in the Order.
By this new directive, NERC said: “The DisCos are hereby directed to implement the following updates:
“1. All DisCos shall ensure that ONLY the newly approved Band A feeders listed in their April 2024 supplementary orders maintained as band A for the purpose of vending to prepaid customers and billing for post paid customers on their networks.
“2. All DisCos are required to immediately post on their websites the schedule of approved Band A feeders that have been affected by the rate review.
“3. All DisCos shall set up a portal by 10th April 2024 on their website that allows all customers to check their current Bands by entering their meter or account numbers.
“4. All customers wrongly billed at the new rate should be refunded through energy tokens no later than Thursday 11th April 2024, and file evidence of compliance with the Commission by 12th April 2024.
“5. The Commission shall monitor compliance with the requirements listed above and shall continue to provide support to all stakeholders as required.”