Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), yesterday, ordered Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) to refund excess monies from overbilling between the months of October and December 2014 to its customers.
NERC, in a statement in Abuja, directed AEDC, to with immediate effect from the date of this Order, commence the refund through energy credit of all excess charges billed its customers as a direct consequence of the adjustments in estimated methodology in some of the company’s business units.
According to NERC, this is following earlier notice of enforcement and subsequent investigation of instances of overbilling perpetrated by the company.
NERC accused AEDC of tripling its customers’ bills issued in September 2014 and issued it as bills for October 2014, without evidence of a commensurate increase in electricity supply within the same period.
It also accused AEDC of failing to forward report of the estimated billings it issued in every billing circle as provided under section 9 of the Methodology for Estimated Billing Regulation 2012, in the format prescribed by the regulation.
NERC, therefore, investigated AEDC for arbitrary imposition of random figures on clusters of its customers ranging from 18 to 28 per cent between October and December 2014 and in some cases 1,100 per cent increase, which resulted in spike in customers’ bills as against the provisions of the Methodology for Estimated Billing Regulations 2012.
To this end, NERC said, “AEDC shall with immediate effect from the date of this Order commence refund through energy credit of all excess charges billed its customers as a direct consequence of the adjustments” in estimated methodology in some of the company’s business units.
“AEDC is to within five days notify the affected customers of the overbilling in writing in line with Regulation 9 (7) of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s Meter Reading, Billing, Cash Collections and Credit Management for Electricity Suppliers Regulation 2007.
“AEDC is also expected to publish in a newspaper with wide circulation within its franchise area an apology to affected customers stating their business units and the amount of excess charges billed them during the period under review.”
