Downgrade Band A Customers If You Can’t Ensure Minimum 20-Hour Power Supply, NERC Tells DisCos

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has directed electricity distribution companies (Discos) to immediately downgrade customers in the Band A category if they are unable to deliver the promised 20 hours of power supply daily.

Dafe Apkeneye, NERC’s Commissioner for Licensing and Legal, disclosed this during an appearance on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Friday.

“If Discos cannot meet the promised 20 hours for Band A customers, those customers must be downgraded to the appropriate category based on what the Discos can supply,” he said.

“The migration process is not optional for customers. Discos must apply for the reclassification and ensure they can consistently meet the supply requirements of Band A customers. If they cannot, they are obligated to downgrade those customers to the correct band,” he added.

Apkeneye added that Discos can only distribute electricity available on the grid, noting that they are helpless when there is no supply to the grid.

“However, the grid has been stabilized, and we expect supply to improve. If it doesn’t, Discos must take action to downgrade affected customers,” he said.

On NERC’s decision to transfer regulatory oversight to state governments, Apkeneye noted that the Nigerian constitution now empowers states to generate, transmit, and distribute electricity within their territories.

READ: Electricity: Raise Investment To N500bn Or Exit – Reps Tell DisCos

“States can establish and regulate their electricity markets,” he stated.

“The law provides states with exclusive powers over electricity generation, transmission, and distribution within their jurisdictions. This is outlined in the concurrent legislative list,” he added.

“We are already seeing states taking steps to build capacity. For instance, Oyo State has issued a notice of intent to establish its electricity market.

“Their team has visited the commission, undergone extensive training with international regulatory bodies, and even studied practices in Ghana. States are preparing to take full advantage of these new powers.”

Addressing customer complaints, Apkeneye emphasized that NERC has implemented consolidated customer protection regulations to ensure fair redress.

“For customers to have their complaints resolved by NERC, they must first lodge the complaint with their respective Disco.

“If the Disco fails to respond within a specific timeframe, the customer can escalate the issue to NERC’s consumer forum,” he explained.

Apkeneye highlighted that NERC ensures customers receive fair resolutions, including redress for overbilling.