Only Maximum Demand Customers Exempted from Estimated Bills

Further to the Directives over the weekend of 9th June, 2017 on the verification and validation of the Maximum Demand (MD) electricity customers metering exercise, the Commission wishes to clarify that the affected electricity customers are those within the threshold of 45kVA consumption and above.

The Directive to exempt MD customers from estimated bills was sequel to an earlier Directive of the Commission to the 11 Distribution Companies (DISCOs) to completely meter all their MD customers on or before 31st November, 2016. However, the DISCOs sought for and were granted extension to 1st March, 2017.

The Commission directed over the weekend that no MD customer should henceforth be billed based on estimation to further validate the confirmation and assurance given by the DISCOs that all such customers are now metered.

It was further directed that no “electricity distribution company shall disconnect any Maximum Demand electricity customer that was not metered by March 1, 2017 on the basis of the customer’s refusal to pay a bill issued after the compliance deadline on the basis of estimated billing methodology.”

Any maximum demand electricity customer so affected was also advised to promptly report any attempt to disconnect it on the basis of refusal to pay estimated bill issued after March 1, 2017 to the Commission.

The underlying rationale to this directive is the effect that since this category of customers have been completely metered as directed by the Commission and reported by the DISCOs, no MD customer should be issued with estimated bills.

For non MD unmetered customers on their networks, electricity distribution companies have been warned to adhere strictly to the Commission’s approved estimation methodology in accordance with the Estimated Billing Methodology Regulation.

Electricity customers are also advised to avail themselves of the Commission’s redress mechanism in instances of contested bills before seeking legal advice.  

Mrs. Vivian Mbonu - AGM, Media
Email: vivian.mbonu@nerc.gov.ng