The Federal Competitors and Client Safety Fee has inspired electrical energy customers to report distribution corporations that did not adjust to the restrict on estimated payments for unmetered clients.
FCCPC acknowledged this in a press release on Monday, commending the Nigerian Electrical energy Regulatory Fee for penalizing 11 DisCos for non-compliance.
The PONS reported earlier that the NERC on Friday declared that it could deduct N10.5 billion from the annual allowable revenues of the eleven energy distribution corporations throughout the subsequent tariff overview as a part of sanctions over their non-compliance with the restrict of estimated payments for unmetered clients.
NERC introduced that billing of unmetered clients of their varied franchise areas for 2023 confirmed non-compliance with month-to-month vitality limits issued by the fee.
The fee defined that the DisCos would pay roughly 10 % of the quantity they overbilled their clients between January and September 2023.
In response, the FCCPC acknowledged that the measure was in step with its mandate set out within the Federal Competitors and Client Safety Act 2018, particularly Part 17(s), which supplies the fee the authority to guard customers from disagreeable practices or unscrupulous exploitation by corporations, companies, commerce associations. or people, and to hunt redress on their behalf.
The Appearing Govt Vice Chairman/Chief Govt Officer of the FCCPC, Adamu Abdullahi, mentioned: “We stand in solidarity with NERC in its dedication to guard unmetered clients from arbitrary billing by DisCos. The cap regulation was an vital step towards fairer therapy of individuals with out meters, and the FCCPC absolutely helps its enforcement.
“We encourage customers who’ve been shortchanged by estimated payments to come back ahead and file complaints with their respective DisCos, and to escalate such complaints to NERC or the FCCPC, if not satisfactorily resolved. We’re dedicated to investigating all respectable complaints and securing redress for customers.”
The FCCPC boss additionally urged the NERC to think about even harder measures to discourage future violations, saying this might embody increased monetary penalties, harder enforcement mechanisms and even the repeal of working permits for persistent offenders.
“Moreover, the FCCPC reiterates its unwavering dedication to making sure a greater deal for electrical energy customers in Nigeria. Along with the routine decision of electrical energy client complaints, the Fee will proceed to arrange electrical energy client platforms throughout the nation.
“The FCCPC's present Memorandum of Understanding with NERC goals to make sure more practical safety of electrical energy customers via data sharing, joint investigations and coordinated enforcement actions.
“The Fee believes that elementary reforms are wanted to deal with the systemic challenges dealing with the sector, together with measurement gaps, billing malpractice and insufficient customer support,” the fee mentioned.
