The Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company has refunded unmetered customers who were overcharged through estimated billing.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, had in February sanctioned the 11 electricity distribution companies, DisCos, for overbilling their customers to the tune of about N105 billion in nine months.
“A review of the electricity distribution companies’ billing of unmetered customers for 2023 has revealed non-compliance with the monthly energy caps issued by the commission,” the NERC had said.
In response to this and in a bid to safeguard unmetered customers from arbitrary billing by Discos, the commission stated that pursuant to Section 34(1)(d) of the Electricity Act 2023, it had issued the order on Non-Compliance with Capping of Estimated Bills (Order No: NERC/2024/004-01 4).
It said the order stipulates, among other things that: “Credit adjustment to customers: Discos are to issue credit adjustments to all over-billed unmetered customers for the period January to September 2023 by the March 2024 billing cycle”.
The Kaduna Disco, in a statement on February 23, stated that it would comply with the directive of the regulatory body by refunding the affected customers.
Meanwhile, in a post on its X handle on Thursday, March 14, the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company said it has complied with the NERC directive.
“As directed by NERC, Kaduna Electric has complied with the order to refund overbilled customers from January to September 2023.
“The full list of beneficiaries can be found on our website,” Kaduna Disco stated.
Out of the 13,231,807 electricity consumers in Nigeria, only 5,885,687 have been said to have been metered as of January 2024.
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