The National Electricity Regulatory Commission on Wednesday said a court of competent jurisdiction has ruled that the bills of a previous tenant cannot be enforced on a new customer.

This was revealed by the NERC commissioner for finance and management services, Mr. Nathan Shatti, during a videoconferencing interactive session between customers and the NERC representative to answer all questions on meters and metering.

Shatti said that those who had “invested or spent money to procure a meter will get a refund or a compensation through a mechanism that the commission would come up with, and for those who are paying meter service charge, that would also stop at a point and then there would be a compensation to pay you back”.

“They would give you meters, maintain those meters and then in the process of their reporting to NERC, they will include those cost of meters as part of their regulatory asset base and get returns and then they will also get charges in the tariffs that they are going to charge customers just like the way it was being done previously.”

The commissioner assured that Nigerians do not have much to worry about as those who do not enjoy more than 12 hours of light per day will not be affected by the tariff hike. “Everyone is aware of the new price tariff as released by NERC especially the fact that we have broken it down into four different categories.

“All customers in whichever category you find yourself between the four categories will be treated fairly and equally.” he noted

While responding to the participants question on estimated bills, the Commissioner said “Kazeem had complaints about the Ikeja and Eko DisCos, I guess you are from Lagos.
“The complaint was majorly load shedding and I would not know the amount of load being shed but I think that is something that the commission has also noted and we will take it up with the respective DisCos.

“The next important point is estimated billing which is mostly being contested and by the time you now get a meter, the DisCos would want to migrate the bill to the meter just to ensure that you pay or they tell you that until you pay those bills you will not be metered.”

Shatti, however, commended the bold step that the President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Prof. Osinbajo administration has taken, he assured that the lingering issues would be resolved in the next 18 to 24 months and there would be a drastic change.

“Let’s continue to be patient while we do what we do right now but I can assure you that you will be able to get your meter in good time.”

“No one would be demanding that you pay for meters directly again,” he added.

sure. but nerc sud focus on serious issues