Oritsegbubemi Omatseyin
Lagos — The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, has directed power Distribution Companies, DisCos, to rapidly conclude the migration of STS-Meters for all their customers to prevent disruption of service.
During the Q4 NESI Stakeholders Meeting, the Commission warned that daily penalties would be imposed for each meter not migrated effective from 1st January 2025.
The Commission further emphasized the responsibility of the DisCos to replace all obsolete/faulty meters within their franchise.
Pursuant to the provisions of the Customer Protection Regulation 2023, the Commission noted that DisCos are neither allowed to charge customers for the replacement of obsolete/faulty meters nor transfer customers to estimated billing.
Also at the meeting, participants discussed the milestones of states transitioning to state electricity regulation, the Free Governor Mode of Operation at the power generation level to stabilize the grid, and updates on the establishment of the Nigerian Independent System Operation, NISO, among others.
The quarterly meeting brought together energy stakeholders to discuss the state of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, NESI, and address critical issues in the sector.
NERC also held a meeting with State Electricity Regulatory Commissions and Bureaus in Lagos to discuss milestones, opportunities, and challenges with the transition to state electricity regulation.
Currently, seven states, namely Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Ondo and Oyo, have set up their own electricity regulatory structures.
During the meeting, presentations facilitated experience sharing and in-depth Q&A sessions aimed at ensuring successful transitions to a multi-tier electricity market.
The Commission advised the state regulators to think critically and make objective decisions to ensure the success of their state electricity markets.
“One key opportunity we see in the transition is the opportunity for states to do things differently. It is good that your state is working on metering, but a lot more needs to be done. We want to encourage you to think differently,” said NERC Chairman, Sanusi Garba, while responding to a presentation by the Ekiti State Electricity Regulatory Bureau.
NERC Vice Chairman, Dr. Musiliu Oseni emphasized the importance of fairness to both DisCos and customers to avoid inadvertent harm.
