By Felix Kuyinu
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, has directed electricity Distribution Companies, DisCos, on adherence to regulations regarding provision of meters to consumers.
The FCCPC, while citing non-complaince with the regulations of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, ordered the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, IKEDC, and Eko Electricity Distribution Company, EKEDC, to halt replacing Unistar prepaid meters.
The Distribution Companies were also urged to carry energy consumers along before classifying them into bands.
The FCCPC made the call on Tuesday through it’s Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Tunji Bello.
Bello, at a stakeholders’meeting held at the body’s headquarters in Abuja urged electricity stakeholders to address pressing issues concerning metering consumers.
He hinted on issues of inaccurate billing alongside inadequate customer care. He said that occurrences of system inefficiencies and a culture of impunity among some service providers have intensified the issues, thus, leading to routine exploitation of consumers.
The CEO added that there are concerns over practices that require consumers to pay upfront for meters without reimbursement, which according to him is a direct violation of the NERC Meter Asset Provider and National Mass Metering Regulations, 2021.
To curb the anomalies, the FCCPC directed all meter replacement processes be conducted transparently, with costs borne by the DisCos and not passed on to consumers.
In addition, the body disclosed that there will be enforcement of strict compliance with the regulatory requirements to protect consumers from arbitrary charges and estimated billing.
Awareness on electricity metering for consumers alongside education on electricity billing practices was also recommended.
For a satisfactory performance in dealing with electricity issues, the DisCos have also been ordered to prioritize metering the customers under the National Mass Metering Programme, NMMP, and also follow strict guidelines for replacing faulty or obsolete meters.
The FCCPC also disclosed that the guidelines also require the Discos to inspect faulty meters and provide detailed information in the replacement notice, including the inspection date, the inspecting officer’s credentials, the identified fault, and the scheduled replacement date. Furthermore, the power companies have also been prohibited from placing customers on estimated billing due to delays in meter replacement, as new meters must be installed immediately upon removing any faulty or obsolete unit.
The FCCPC reaffirmed it’s dedication in enforcing all relevant consumer protection laws within the electricity industry to uphold consumer rights and promote fair market practices. The body stated that the new measures is to be effective from November 14.
