NERC Orders DISCOs to Stop Billing Disconnected Customers

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has put a stop to a sharp practice by electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) in the country.

Hitherto, DISCOs in the country have engaged in the practice of billing customers disconnected from electricity supply due to non-payment.

The practice has resulted in protests and litigations among customers and the electricity distributors.

However, NERC has ordered the DISCOs to stop billing any customer already disconnected for non-payment.

The Commission, in an order signed by its chairman, Engr. Sanusi Garba insisted the extortion must stop.

Garba, in the document titled: “Customer Protection Regulation 2023,” stated that DISCOs shall not bill customers until they are reconnected.

“Whenever a supply address has been disconnected for non-payment and a bill has been produced representing consumption at the time of disconnection, the Distribution Company shall not bill for any additional charges in respect of that supply address until after it has reconnected electricity supply to the address,” he stated.

NERC, however, disclosed that DISCOs may under special circumstances bill a customer a supplementary bill during the billing period.

The document revealed that the special circumstances referred to could be when there is any need to amend an earlier bill where a customer made a request for correction.