According to a recent announcement from the Nigerian power Regulatory Commission, distribution companies are permitted to disconnect consumers who have not paid their power bills for at least 12 days.
The NERC stated in a statement titled “Customer Protection Regulations, 2023” posted on the NERC website on April 20, 2023 that a DisCo may cut off supply to a customer’s premises if the customer fails to pay the amount due by the due date specified on the bill or violates other terms and conditions outlined in the contract with the company.
According to the NERC, DisCos can disconnect two working days after the payment date, which must be at least 10 days after the bill was given.
The payment date must be at least 10 days after the client receives their bill, according to the NERC. As agreed upon with the client, bills may be physically delivered to the customer’s premises or provided electronically by text message or email.
“The period between the payment date and date of scheduled disconnection for nonpayment is not less than two working days after the payment date.
“Any bill correcting a previous inaccurate bill shall have a payment date which is at least 10 working days from the date of delivery of the corrected bill to the customer.”
The regulator also stated that if a consumer connects to the DisCo’s network unlawfully, they may have their service terminated immediately.
If a client fails to present a legitimate form of identity or fails to pay the security deposit that the firm has asked, DisCos are also authorized to refuse the customer’s request for energy supply.
It said, “Where the customer’s connection is considered to be dangerous to the integrity of the network and/or affects the quality of supply to other customers.
“Where the DisCo is not granted access to read a meter that is located within the customer’s premises.
“Whenever a customer requests a distribution company to disconnect electricity supply to his premises, the distribution company shall disconnect the supply after confirming that the customer’s request will not impact other customers in the premises that require continued supply.
“The distribution company shall ensure that it is able to monitor consumption to the premises of the customer that has requested a disconnection that was not effected due to the impact on other customers in the premises, to assess the customer’s consumption.”
