We cannot stop estimated billing—Electricity companies

ELECTRICITY Distribution Companies in Abuja, on Tuesday, opposed the proposed stopping of estimated billing for unmetered consumers in the country by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

The proposal was to ensure that unmetered consumers within same area received bills similar to their metered counterparts with minimal difference.

Some of the companies made their positions known at a public hearing on the establishment of an Independent System Operator and capping of estimated billing organised by NERC.

Mr Reuben Okoye, the Assistant General Manager, Regulatory Affairs, Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, said that the proposal would open doors for sharp practices among consumers.

He said that consumers who already had meters would take advantage of the capping of estimated billing to bypass their meters.

Okoye urged NERC to complete its audit of distribution companies on metering consumers before executing the proposal.

He called on the commission to prosecute any company whose operation went against the Electricity Act.

Okoye said that the proposal was not in tandem with the agreement the commission signed with electricity distribution companies.

Mr Abimbola Odubiyi, the Executive Director, Regulatory and Stakeholders Affairs, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, said that companies were losing money through estimated billing.

He said that his company was making all efforts to correct arbitrary estimated billing for its consumers.

Odubiyi said that the problem in the power sector was inherited from the defunct Power Holding Company Nigeria.

He alleged that some consumers vandalised their prepaid meters in order to be on estimated billing.

Mr Ernest Oji, the Director in charge of Technical, Eko Electricity Distribution Company, requested for more time to meter consumers.

"I think we need time, time is very important in this matter," he said.

Earlier, Dr Sam Amadi, the Chairman, NERC, said that it was a crime to bill consumers without supplying them electricity.

"There is no basis to bill consumers who did not have electricity for five to six months consecutively," he said.

It would be recalled that electricity consumers in the country had complained many times against estimated billing by distribution companies.