The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) said it has not directed the decommissioning of metres by the Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos).
NERC’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr. Usman Abba-Arabi, stated this in a statement in Abuja.
Abba-Arabi said the Commission did not also direct payment of outstanding bills as a pre-condition for acquiring of metres under the Metre Assessment Programme (MAP).
He said the attention of NERC has been drawn to the ongoing practice by some DisCos, forcing customers to invest in the replacement of distribution infrastructures.
Abba-Arabi said: “We gathered that some DisCos have been forcing customers to invest in distribution infrastructures such as transformers, cables, and others as a condition for the restoration of electricity supply.
“The Commission had earlier issued a ‘Regulation for Investment in Electricity Networks’ whereby customers desirous of intervening in the restoration of the power supply may invest in the provision of materials and installation.
“The regulation provides that such an arrangement must always be on the basis of an executed ‘Project Agreement’ between the customers and distribution company.
“In which the costs and the mechanism for recovery of the investment are mutually agreed between the parties.”
The NERC general manager said customers are requested to report any electricity distribution company that has engaged in the practice of forcing customers to supply materials or installation as a precondition for providing or restoring electricity supply.
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