Credits – www.tori.ng

NERC stands for Nigerian
Electricity Regulatory Commission and by its name, it’s obvious that they are
empowered to oversee everything that has to do with how you and I get our
electricity. The Commission derives its powers from the Electric Power Sector Reform
(EPSR) Act, 2005 to ensure an efficiently managed electricity supply industry
and mandates the commission to ensure that electricity investors recover costs
on prudent investment and provide quality service to customers.

As electricity users, we
have certain rights and obligations and it’s important we are all familiar with
them so as to aid your panel discussions and deliberations as regards
electricity supply. The following are your rights as an electricity customer –

·       
It is your right to electric service and
accurate electric meter/billing.

·       
All new electric connections must be done
strictly on the basis of metering before connection. That is, no new customer
should be connected without a meter first being installed.

·       
Customer who elects to procure meter under
the Credited Advance Payment for Metering Implementation (CAPMI) scheme must be
metered within 60 days, failure in which the electricity customer will neither
be billed nor disconnected by the electricity distribution company.

·       
It is your right to transparent electricity
billing. Unmetered customer should be issued electricity bills strictly based
on NERC’s Estimated Billing Methodology.

·       
It is your right to contest any electricity
bill. Any unmetered customer who is disputing his/her estimated bill has the
right not to pay the disputed bill, but pay only the last undisputed bill as
the contested bill go through the dispute resolution process of NERC.

·       
It is your right to be notified in writing
ahead of disconnection of electricity service by the electricity distribution
company serving you.

·       
It is your right to prompt investigation of
complaints arising from your electricity service.

·       
It is not the responsibility of electricity
customer or community to buy, replace or repair electricity transformers, poles
and related equipment used in supply of electricity.

·       
All complaints on your electricity supply
and otherbilling issues are to be sent to your nearest Business Unit of the
electricity company serving your premises. If your complaint is not satisfactory
addressed you can forward your complaint to the NERC Forum Office within the
coverage area of your electricity distribution company. Electricity customers
also have the right to appeal the decision of the Forum at the commission
(NERC).

AdedunmadeOnibokun

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