NERC To End Estimated Electricity Billing, Holds Consultative Forum

By Michael Peter, The Sight News

Abuja: The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC has disclosed that it is bringing an end to estimated billing in the country, as efforts are now on top gear to ensure that electricity users are hundred percent metered.

Speaking at the Abuja segment of the ongoing NERC Stakeholders consultative forum, the Vice Chairman of the Commission, Engr. Sanusi Garba
said the consultation is on four major issues, which are; MYTO Methodology,
Business Continuity Regulations, Metering and Eligible Customer Declaration.

“The Commission is out to consult with the public on four major issues; one is the issue of methodology under which we compute the tariff, the second issue under consideration is our business continuity regulations, the third issue is the eligible customer and the last issue is very dear to the consumer; metering”.

Recall that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had announced that it will be holding a
stakeholders consultation in the six geopolitical zones of the country and Abuja.

Engr. Garba also disclosed that at the end of the nationwide consultation, large electricity customers will be able to buy from source other than the discos.

The NERC Vice Chairman said “At the end of this nationwide consultative forum, we will be able to come out with a number of regulations and initiatives that will bring out a lot more meters for the customers.

“Customers will be 100 per cent metered and under eligible customers, there will be opportunity for large customers to be able to buy electricity from source other than from electricity distribution licensees. Other regulations have to do with the need for the commission to ensure that all licensees continue to thrive and that’s the essence of the business continuity regulations”.

He debunked insinuations that the consultation will result in the announcement of a tariff increase, stressing that there are no plans for such move.

Meanwhile, the President, Hotel Owners Forum of Abuja, HOFA, Chike Ezeudeh who spoke with newsmen, lamented the outrageous monthly bills slammed on hotels in Abuja, saying that if it persists, a lot of hotels will fold up in the FCT.

Despite the Vice Chairman’s assurances that the forum was not targeted at increasing tariff, Chief Ezeudeh argued that the forum will eventually lead to increase in tariff.

He said, “Except you have a hidden agenda, this forum will eventually lead to increase in tariff, nobody can dispute it. It is a major way of getting to that increase in tariff and its so horrible now, that even here in Abuja some hotels are being given N4 million a month in this time of recession.

“They are talking about exchange rates and inflation in Nigeria, and the United States, and then passing the loses to the end users. If the exchange rate goes up, then they will increase and they are talking about making the increase on monthly basis, or yearly basis.

“Our own stand is that hotels don’t make increases on monthly basis and the mass metering is not being done. For how many years now? I hope that the government will intervene” He stressed.