By SIMON ECHEWOFUN SUNDAY

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) on Tuesday said it has issued notices of intention to commence enforcement action against the 11 Distribution Companies (DisCos) for overbilling consumers.

The Commission, in a tweet, said the DisCos failed to comply with the Order 197/2020 on capping of unmetered Residential 2 (R2) and Commercial 1 (C1) electricity customers.

“The DisCos have 14 days, beginning from June 4, 2020, to explain why the Commission should not sanction them over their alleged non-compliance,” it noted.

When contacted, the Executive Director, Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), Chief Sunday Oduntan said he would respond later after a meeting on the issue.

“No comment for now!” Oduntan said.

On his part, spokesman of Kaduna Electric, one for the affected DisCos, Abdulazeez Abdullahi, said: “We have complied and we will let them know.”

Oyebode Fadipe of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) said his DisCo has also complied.

“AEDC has been complying with the Order on the capping of estimated billing since it was made by the Regulator.

“Enforcement will only be for those who have been in breach of the Order of NERC,” he noted.

Daily Trust reports that NERC published the Capping of Estimated Billing Order with effect from February 20, 2020, to deter the DisCos from the long tradition of what power consumers described as ‘crazy’ monthly electricity bills.

From the 10 million registered consumers, at least 5.2 million consumers did not have meters and are served estimated bills every month as of December 2019, according to NERC.

The Order pegged payment for electricity bills paid by the R2 and C1 according to estimated power supply hours in their locations until the DisCos provide their homes with meters. (Daily Trust)