Why electricity consumers should not pay for energy not used – NERC

The Deputy General Manager, Customer Service Standards, National Electricity Regulations Commission (NERC), Dr. Shittu Shaibu, on Tuesday declared that electricity consumers should be made to pay for energy they did not consume.

He made the deceleration during a one-day public consultation forum with the customers of Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC and members of Civil Society group in Benin

Shaibu said it will be a disservice to the electricity consumers for them to be made to pay for what they are not given adding that the BEDC must do something to ensure that the consumers are satisfied with their service.

“If you are given service, you pay for service and if you are not given light, you should challenge, follow the NERC process.

“First, you have to report to the Customers Complaint Unit and if you are not satisfied, you take it to the Forum Office and after which, you pass on to the Commission and your issues will be resolved and it doesn’t matter whether it is metering, whether it is transformer or service delivery.

“So, you can only pay if you are given a bill good enough for you”, he said.

The DGM Customer Service Standards hinted that the problem between the electricity distributor (BEDC) and the public is a communication gap and that effort must be intensified to bridge the gap.

On the issue of the revocation of the company’s license, the NERC representative, said BEDC still has additional year to prove their competency.

He said the NERC will do everything within the armbit of the law to ensure that electricity problem is addressed.

Speaking on the proposed increment in electricity tariff, the Coordinator-General of Edo Civil Society Organizations, (EDOCSO) Leftist Agho Omobude advised the BEDC to improve on their power supply to their customers and should not contemplate increment at all, noting that they have not lived up to their billing to the public.