NERC installs 171,107 meters in Q1 2023

Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has installed 171,107 pre-paid meters in the first quarter of 2023, according a Q1, 2023 report posted on its website on Friday.

The report also indicated that the 171,107 meters installed represent an increase of 6,495 compared to the 164,612 meters installed in Q4, 2022.

The report, further disclosed that electricity distribution companies (DisCos) in total received 249,683 complaints from consumers under the same period under review, representing 4.44 per cent less than what was received in Q4, 2022.

“The new installations resulted in a 1.06 increase in net end-user metering rate in the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) between Q4, 2022 which represent 42.25 per cent and Q1, 2023 which is 43.31per cent.

“About 158,634 meters were installed under the Meter Assert Provider (MAP) intervention, while 9,931 meters were installed under the National Mass Metering programme (NMMP) scheme.

The report said that the commission expects Distribution Companies (DisCos) to utilise any of the meter financing mechanisms that had been provided in the 2021 MAP and NMMP Regulations to close their respective metering gaps.

“As a safeguard for customers against exploitation due to the lack of meters, the commission has continued to issue monthly energy caps for all feeders in each DisCo.

“This sets the maximum amount of energy that may be billed to an unmetered customer for the respective month based on gross energy received by the DisCos and the consumption by metered customers.”

According to the report, DisCos cumulatively received 249,683 complaints from consumers in QI, 2023, with 11,595 (4.44 per cent) complaints less than those received in Q4, 2022.

“In total, the DisCos resolved 229,101 complaints, corresponding to a 91.76 per cent resolution rate which is similar to the 91.38 per cent recorded in Q 4.2022.

According to the report, metering, billing, and service interruption are the prevalent sources of customer complaints out of the 79 per cent of total complaints during the quarter.

“Pursuant to the provisions of its Customer Complaints Handling Standards and Procedure Regulations, the commission set up forum panels across the country to review unresolved disputes from the DisCos.

The report said that the commission introduced initiatives to address these categories of complaints such as the independent verification of DisCos compliance with the capping regulation.

“In Q4, 2022, the forum offices had a total of 2,594 active appeals (inclusive of pending 1,137 appeals from Q3, 2022 from customers who were dissatisfied with DisCos’ decision on the complaints lodged at the Customer Complaints Unit (CCU).

“During the period, the forum Panels held 81 sittings and resolved 1,520 (58.60 per cent) of the appeals filed at Forum Offices nationwide.

“This means that 1,074 appeals were yet to be resolved as of the end of 2022/Q4,” it said.

The report said the commission had continued to take measures to ensure a more efficient customer complaint resolution process starting with improvements in the quality of complaint resolution at the CCU of the DisCos.