BY AKUDORO GLORIA
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) on Tuesday reiterated its stance that Distribution Companies (DisCos) are not to charge customers for the replacement of faulty or obsolete meters.
NERC disclosed this in a statement posted on its official X handle, stating that the directive aligns with NERC’s Order No. NERC/246/2021, which mandates that DisCos are responsible for such replacements at no cost to the customer, provided the fault was not caused by the customer’s actions.
“The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission is aware that some Distribution Companies (DisCos) have instructed customers to apply and pay for the replacement of faulty and obsolete meters within their franchise areas.
“This instruction contravenes the Commission’s Order No. NERC/246/2021 on the Structured Replacement of Faulty and Obsolete end-use Customer Meters in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.
“The Order clearly states that no customer with a meter should be forcefully migrated to estimated billing. If any customer’s meter is adjudged by any DisCo to be obsolete or faulty, it is the responsibility of the DisCo to replace the meter free of charge, provided that the fault was not caused by the customer,” it stated.
The Commission restated its commitment to protect customers’ interests and rights by ensuring compliance with established regulatory standards and enforcing regulatory penalties for non-compliance by its licensees.
The Commission however, urged customers to report cases of non-compliance to the Order by any DisCo through the following channel: complaints@nerc.gov.ng or call on 07000 2255 6372; 0201 344 4331; 0908 899 9244.
