NERC orders DisCos to replace customers’ obsolete meters

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has ordered Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to replace customers’ faulty and obsolete metres at no cost.

This followed reports that some DisCos are requiring their customers to replace Unistar prepaid meters.

The commission in a statement on Monday said the DisCos directive to customers to apply and pay for faulty metres contravenes its Order No. NERC/246/2021 on the Structured Replacement of Faulty and Obsolete End-Use Customer Metres in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.

READ ALSO: NERC to conduct investigative hearing on recurring grid disturbances

The statement read: “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.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now