Over Billing: NERC Descends On EEDC, Order DISCO To Refund Over N11 Billion To Customers

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC, is to cough out a whopping sum of over N11 billion.

The sum is to be paid back to its 1,011,402 customers in the Southeast region of the country.

The amount represents over- billing made by the electricity distribution outfit on the accounts of the customers between January and September 2023.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulations Corporation, NERC, at its billing cycle for February 2024 directed that the amount should be credited to the accounts of all the over-billed customers.

The Electricity Regulatory Agency regretted the flouting of the extant laws governing estimated billing by the distribution companies, particularly within the period under review.

According to NERC, the over- billing of customers by Discos has resulted in the unwillingness of customers to pay their bills regularly, a development it noted has also  negatively impacted on the revenue generating profile of the Government.

” A check on order no 2024/2026 by the NERC indicates that the sum of N11,866,263,4320.31 was over billed from customers between January and September 2023 .

“Upon completion of the review ,the commission issued an RD stipulating a 14 day compliance deadline which expired in August 2023.

“The RD also notified EEDC that further regulatory actions shall be taken in accordance with the KPI Order for subsequent non-compliance .

“The continuous failure of EEDC to adhere to the commission’s monthly caps for estimated billing has led to significant over billing of customers ” the agency stated

“Subsequently, NERC said: “At the billing cycle for energy consumed in February 2024, EEDC shall reconcile the accounts and issue credit adjustments for all customers that were over billed between January and September 2023 based on the commission’s assessment as contained in schedule 1.

“EEDC shall submit its billing data for the February 2024 cycle and other relevant information ,to the Commission as evidence of compliance with the provisions of section 11 (A) (6) of this Order not later than the 31st of March 2024

“EEDC shall publish in 2 ( two) National Dailies ,citing the provisions of this Order ,the list credit adjustments beneficiaries and the same concurrently posted on its website ,not later than the 31st of March 2024.

As a punishment, NERC  ordered the EEDC to pay 10%  of the over-billed amount as penalty.