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With cognizance to the June 1st 2012, effective date for the take-off of the new electricity tariff regime - Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO2), consumers of electricity will pay fixed charges once a month irrespective of the number of times prepaid meter is recharged.
The Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Dr. Sam Amadi made this clarification at a press conference on Monday, 18TH June 2012 at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Electricity tariff is sub-divided into fixed and energy charges under the new tariff regime.
Amadi also read the riot act to all electricity distribution Chief Executive Officers (CEO) who would circumvent this directive. “Any CEO of a distribution company who allows its business units to charge consumers fixed charges more than once a month violates the MYTO and liable for sanction.” In the same vein, the Commission has declared that where electricity consumers are bulk-metered, the fixed charges will be shared among all the flats and not individually charged. “It is double billing to ask every flat to pay the fixed charge on that meter” Amadi warned.
Amadi used the occasion to answer some questions with regard to post-MYTO2. According to him, the Commission has completed the methodology for standardizing connection fees. He added that plans are underway for the Commission to meet with CEOs of distribution companies to consult and agree on the connection fee of each Disco. He said that the NERC has requested for a detailed plan of number of meters each distribution company will deploy monthly, to ensure that the Civil Society / Stakeholders groups, soon to be set up, may be able to monitor the meter deployment process.
Amadi disclosed that the Commission had received reports of illegal fixed charges demanded by some business centers. One particular instance involved residents of Victoria Garden City in Lagos who were individually metered and ought to be on R2 and to pay fixed charge of N500.00 monthly, but were asked to pay N21, 256.30 before they could vend. The Commission investigated the claim and wrote to the CEO of Eko Distribution Company for the stoppage of the illegality.
He gave the Commission’s assurance to the public thus “As part of ensuring that the new tariff does not become a windfall for the distribution companies while inefficiency continues in the system, we promised that these distribution companies will supply meters to every consumer within 18 months starting from June 1, 2012.”
The new tariff has since taken effect.
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