Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC, in January 2020 embarked on decommissioning of meters which they tagged obsolete despite the fact that such meters were not dysfunctional in any way.
With no plans for replacement, they disconnected and destroyed prepaid meters in homes with instructions that such persons apply for new meters while their homes be on direct electricity connections; such homes were then placed on estimated billing, a perfect means to rob the people.
In response to series of customer complaints on the outrageous estimated electricity bills and pending the installation of meters, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, prescribed a cap representing the maximum amount that a Distribution Company, DisCo may charge an unmetered customer.
Order No/NERC/197/2020, dated February 20, 2020 states, “All unmetered R2 and C1 customers shall NOT be invoiced for consumption of energy beyond the price capped in schedule 1 of the Order, (by illustration, NGN1, 872.00 for R2, where consumption is capped at 78KWh per month at a tariff of NGN24/KWh).
Months later, EEDC filed for an upward review of the energy caps with the excuse of covid19 pandemic impact on meter deployment while also alleging a non-commensurate payment for electricity consumed by end-users.
This led to an upward review and amendment order on the capping of estimated bills for the DisCo.
The Amended Order No/ NERC/ 213/2020 co-signed by the NERC Chairman Momoh James and Akpeneye Dafe Commissioner Legal, Licensing & Compliance on 30th of October, 2020 with effect on 1st November 2020 for all the DisCos orders that,
“All unmetered Non-maximum demand (Non-MD) customers of EEDC shall not be billed for the consumption of energy beyond the cap situated in schedule 1 of this order.”
The Order also stipulated the energy cap for all the Feeders under each DisCo which EEDC audaciously flaunts and bills unsuspecting and uninformed unmetered Non-MD above the cap.
To stop this broad daylight corporate stealing, you need to crosscheck the energy consumption you were charged for the month with the capping outlined by the commission.
This is contained on your bill under the section of ‘How We Calculated Your Bill’; also visit the official NERC website to know the energy cap on your feeder/ distribution transformer name.
For example, for the Abakpa District Feeder phase 6, 11KV, NERC capped energy consumption at 220KWh per month on the Amended Order but some households within that feeder were billed on 377KWh at N48.89 unit price; a flagrant disregard of the Order.
If the KWh used in calculating your bill is above the NERC cap on your feeder, then write a letter addressed to Customer Complaint Unit of your DisCo, attaching a photocopy of the receipt.
Endeavor to have a duplicate copy of your complaint letter which must be acknowledged on submission of the letter.
If after 15 days there is no redress, then approach the nearest NERC Forum office established for Customer Complaints in Enugu, Abakaliki, Awka, Owerri, and Umuahia for business units under EEDC; address of each is seen at the back of your receipt.
With the acknowledged letter and receipt, visit the nearest NERC Forum Office.
To know the energy cap on your feeder, check online for the Amended Orders on the capping of estimated bills or visit the web page below.
https://www.nerc.gov.ng/index.php/component/remository/NERC-Orders/Amended-Orders-on-the-Capping-of-Estimated-Bills/?Itemid=591
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