Mkpoikana Udoma 16 June 2017, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt – The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, PHEDC, has said the recent directive issued by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, that consumers yet to get their prepaid meters should stop paying electricity bills, is highly misconstrued by the members of the public.
NERC had in the directive advised electricity consumers not provided with prepared meters by March 1 to stop paying electric bills presented by Distribution Companies on the basis of estimated billing.
NERC had also directed power distribution companies not to disconnect any customer who refuses to pay electricity bills while advising customers who get disconnected on account of this advisory to report to the commission.
But the Port Harcourt Disco has unequivocally stated that the directive was only meant for Maximum Demand customers (industrial and commercial consumers), who may not have been metered as earlier directed by the regulator with the February 28, 2017, deadline.
The Head, Corporate Communications of PHEDC, Mr. John Onyi, said in compliance with NERC’s directive, PHEDC has as at date metered all Maximum Demand customers before the deadline.
Onyi urged it’s customers not to be swayed by disgruntle elements whose sole objective is to drive discourse away from the original content, and assured that plans are underway to meter all non-maximum demand customers.
“To further give credence to this (metering of Maximum Demand customers), NERC personnel have officially conducted a validity check and have ascertained the veracity of PHED’s claim on MD metering.
“However, PHED is still carrying out re-calibration, re-certification, re- classification and the replacement of faulty meters [if any] to further sanitize the system.
“Meanwhile as a responsive Company, we are delighted to inform our non-Maximum Demand (consumers) that a robust metering plan is ongoing and in no time it will get to all.”