Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — As the new electricity tariff approved by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, kicks off by next week Wednesday, July 1st 2020, the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, PHED, has assured customers in the four states under its coverage of improved services.
Tariff review has been a yearly order since 2015 when it was first reviewed after its introduction in 2008 by NERC, under the Multi Year Tariff Order, MYTO, a framework for regulating the licensees (Discos) over a period of time based on; foreign exchange market, gas pricing, inflation rate and generation capacity.
Speaking, PHED Manager, Corporate Communications, John Onyi, disclosed that the company has embarked on many projects aimed at fortifying its distribution network for seamless service delivery, in anticipation for the new electricity tariff.
Onyi said one of such project is the reconfiguration of its network to evacuate 48 megawatts from a transmission station in Port Harcourt, while appealing to customers to cooperate in the prompt payment of electricity bill for better service delivery.
“The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Plc wishes to notify its esteemed customers and members of the public in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers States that there will be an upward review of electricity tariff with effect from 1st July 2020. The review will affect all the categories of customers.
“In anticipation of the new tariff, Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Plc has embarked on a number of projects aimed at fortifying the network for seamless service delivery to its customers.
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“One of such projects is the ongoing construction and reconfiguration of the network to evacuate 48 megawatts from Rumuosi Transmission Station in Port Harcourt.
“With the new tariff, customers would definitely enjoy improved services, however, they are expected to pay more based on hours of availability that would remain sacrosanct in the business model of PHED.
“The Company therefore, appeals to its customers to cooperate and support it through prompt payment of electricity bill for the mutual benefits of all stakeholders in the electricity industry.”
