TAYO ELEGBEDE
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has directed electricity distribution companies (DISCOS) to engage their customers on service-based tariff structure.
Engagement with customers on service-based tariff structure is now the basis for new tariff, according to the industry regulator.
The Chairman of NERC, James Momoh, who made this known in a statement in Abuja, refuted media reports of new tariff by DISCOS.
“The general public and all stakeholders in the power sector are by this statement urged to disregard any report of an arbitrary tariff increase affecting Nigerians,” he stated.
Under the service based tariff structure, Momoh said DISCOS have to commit to increasing the number of hours of supply per day and quality of service.
“Customers are consulted and communicated a guaranteed level of electricity service by the DISCOs based on hours of supply to customers that are metered.
“No estimated billing through the strict enforcement of the capping regulation. This means that unmetered customers will not experience any cost increase beyond what is chargeable to metered customers in the same area,” he said.
The NERC chairman maintained that there will be no change in tariff for the most vulnerable as tariffs for those consuming 5OKW or less remain frozen.
He added that customers receiving less than 12 hours of supply will also not experience any change in tariffs.
Momoh confirmed that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a nationwide mass-metering programme in an effort by the Federal Government to put a stop to estimated and arbitrary billing for electricity.
In addition, he noted that the president has also approved a waiver of the import levy on meters to enable the supply of meters to customers who do not have them at reasonable costs.
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