The Senate has urged the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), to abolish fixed charges collected from electricity consumers.

Federal lawmakers at Tuesday’s plenary session, made the resolution after reviewing the operations of the electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) since the unbundling of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria.

The Senate urged the commission to advise the DISCOs to end bulk metering as well as halt the practice of making consumers pay for poles and transformers, which by law, are properties of electricity distribution companies.

Most of the Senators, who contributed to the motion, narrated tales of woes on electricity supply and billing in their constituencies. They also accuse the DISCOs of running fraudulent operations and acts of extortion.

Some of the lawmakers said that while they expected the privatisation of the power sector to guarantee stable power supply, the situation had grown from bad to worse.

In a special report by Channels Television, residents of Karamajiji, a settlement in the Federal Capital Territory, had lamented the outrageous electricity bills which the distribution company hands down to them every month end.

The Senators have now said that consumers should give notice of where they purchase items to the DISCOs and the DISCOs should in turn be entitled to recover their expenses from subsequent consumption of electricity. (Channels TV)

•Photo shows the Senate in session.