Consumers Won’t Pay After 15 Days Without Power – FG

ABUJA— The Federal Government, yesterday, said
with effect from today, electricity consumers that
had no power supply for 15 days in a month are no
longer required to pay the monthly N750 fixed
charge to their respective Distribution Companies,
Discos.
The Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory
Commission, NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, who issued the
directive at a briefing in Abuja, said it became
necessary after the commission carried out
investigations into complaints from consumers over
continued payment of fixed charge even when
service is not delivered.
Amadi said: “While the commission has determined
that the fixed charge remains an essential
component of the bill, it has, however, reviewed the
continued retention of the fixed charge component
in the tariff and payment of fixed charge in the light
of consumer complaints, particularly with regard to
continued payment of fixed charge even when the
energy is not delivered to the consumer.
meter
The order
“On considerations of these complaints by the
consumers, and considering the role of NERC in
Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, NESI, the
commission, as provided under Section 32d, and
Section 32f of the EPSR Act 2005, hereby order that
effective May 1, 2014, where any customer of a
distribution licensee has not received electricity
supply for a period of 15 days in a month, such a
customer shall not be required to pay fixed charge.”
Amadi, however, warned that the order stands
provided the disruption is not due to nonpayment of
electricity bill or other actions of the consumer such
as tampering with electricity infrastructure,
vandalism or unrelated to the fault of the distribution
company.
He stated that there have been several complaints
from consumers over the fairness or legality of the
monthly fixed charges which prompted the
commission to embark on independent investigation
that led to the order.
“There have been a lot of comments from
consumers about the fixed charge and the concern
is whether it is fair and legal,” he said.
FG’s assurance
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has reassured
electricity consumers of improved power supply,
following ongoing rehabilitation work on Kainji and
Jebba power plants.
Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, who
gave the assurance in his presentation to the
Energy Committee of the ongoing national
conference, in Abuja, said more power will be made
available to Nigerians from the two facilities before
the end of the year.
Nebo said the two plants, which have not undergone
maintenance for decades, are now being serviced
for optimum performance.
He also appealed to delega-tes to make
recommendations that will lead to legislation for
sufficient and sustainable power supply.