The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission as slam a heavy fine on Electricity consumers who bypasses their meters, defaulters will be forced to pay up to N450,000 as fine,.
According to NERC, financial sanctions ranging from N50,000 to N450,000 for meter bypass by power consumers have been drafted and has been unanimously endorsed by the Discos consisting of 11 electricity distribution companies operating in the Nigeria.
It was gathered that NERC’s decision was also endorsed by the Federal Government through the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola. This is coming as the regulator revealed that it was perfecting plans to deploy prepaid meters in government’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies in order to avert future debt accumulation by the MDAs.
The Vice Chairman, NERC, Sanusi Garba, while speaking on the prepaid meter issues raised in the zone of the Jos Electricity Distribution Company, told Fashola and other participants at the last monthly meeting of operators in the sector that the amount being charged as financial sanctions depended on the class of power consumer.
.“He stated that the order was made in consultation with the Discos and that the commission would hold a meeting with the relevant stakeholders to discuss issues surrounding eligible customer declaration, metering, review of the MYTO methodology and regulations on business continuity. The honourable minister Babatunde Fashola advised the Discos to prosecute offenders at the municipal level by liaising with the respective state governments,” he added.
Fashola then suggested that payments should be made on undisputed claims, while the disputed MDA debts were reconciled.
The Market Operator reported that Eko and Yola Discos made 100 per cent payment for services rendered in the month of July, as participants applauded both firms for the feat.
The NERC vice chairman also informed the meeting that the commission wanted to meet the minister to discuss tariff issue for some classes of customers.
