Consumers threatens showdown with DisCos for flouting capping order

An Electricity consumers group knowns as All Electricity Consumers Protection Forum (AECPF) has threatened action against the electricity distribution companies (DisCos) whom it said have not complied with the recent estimated electricity billing capping order issued by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Agency (NERC).

A statement by the National Coordinator, AECPF, Adeola Samuel-ilori, said feedbacks from electricity consumers on the groups’ social media platform indicated that virtually all the DisCos were not implementing the order, while few partially implement it as bill received were slightly different from the calculated kwh and the amount in their respective templates of the order.

“For example , a consumer in Abule Egba in Lagos with expected 135 kwh as R2S was given 257 which is  about 7500 naira approximately instead of 3700 by their template kwh.  A consumer in Mpape in Abuja who ought to receive a bill of N1980, got a bill of over N3000 contrary to what their released template stipulates,” the statement said.

Samuel-ilori said all stakeholders in the sector including the minister of power, and the NERC chairman had been notified of the development.

The forum has outlined some actions to be taken immediately and after the covid 19 lockdown in parts of the country.

According to the action plan, “henceforth no consumers should respond in payment to any bill received from a DisCo if it is not in tandem with their released template of capping as directed by NERC; a letter is to be forwarded to NERC management through chairman to intimate them of the DisCos pranks and deliberate flouting of the capping order, while demanding immediate sanction of erring DisCos.”

Others include plans to organise shut down protests to the DisCos’ offices if after lockdown, reversal of all received bills is not done; to approach a court of competent jurisdiction for redress and order of mandamus.

“We will not fold our hands to allow any corporate entities to oppress Nigerians in the name of doing business without following the ethical rules and extant law of operations,” the statement added.

In a swift reaction, the General Manager, Corporate Communications, Abuja Electricity Distribution Companies (AEDC), Mr Oyebode Fadipe said Abuja DisCo as a responsible corporate citizen does not joke with orders from the Commission as It implements them to the latter.

Fadipe explained that the estimated bill as capped by NERC for Mpape customers under the franchise of AEDC is 83kwh which if multiplied by the per unit price of N24.30, is N2016.90, adding that an addition of 7.5% VAT (N151.3) takes the total amount to N2,168:00 as bill for an average Mpape resident.

He however said he would investigate the allegation raised. (Leadership)