THE electricity distribution companies, Discos, have said that they are charging tariffs that are below the recommendations by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC. They denied the reports that their tariffs are making life unbearable for consumers.

Anthony Youdeowei, managing director, Ikeja Electric, said the firm was giving meters to its customers, adding that only customers owing electricity bills would be made to reconcile their accounts with the company, before they are given meters. He said the aim was to enable the company recover debts owed by its customers and to also dispute the claims that power firms are charging huge tariffs amid inability to provide meters to customers.

Youdeowei said power firms were not happy that customers do not have meters. He added that the welfare of customers was paramount to energy distribution firms, as evidenced by the tariff of N6.00 they are collecting from customers, as against N10.00 recommended by the commission.

“Taking into consideration the cost of procuring facilities through which electricity is distributed to final consumers, and other costs incurred by the firms, it is evident that the Discos are not making enough profits. Remember, there are losses arising from poor collection of revenues, which only the power firms are made to bear,” he said.

Youdeowei said the development contradicted the notion that power firms were collecting huge charges from the customers. At the opening of the new undertaking office of the Ikeja Electric in Lagos, he said the pricing formula was good for the industry, adding that NERC introduced the formula to enable consumers pay their bills and get the product they paid for.

He urged customers to pay their bills as and when due, adding that when they pay their bills, they should expect services that are commensurate to what they paid through regular supply of electricity. “The power firms make money from the light they give to customers, not darkness. The only product they sell is light, and this means that consumers must pay their bills in order to ensure that they are in business.”

– Oct. 26, 2018 @ 13:15 GMT /