Bloated PHCN OPEX Forces NERC to Truncate Metering Plan

 

Chairman of NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi

Chineme Okafor 
in Abuja


The Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) yesterday disclosed that it was restructuring its initial plan to guarantee comprehensive metering of eligible electricity consumers across Nigeria within 18 months following obvious lapses in revenue collection within the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).

NERC which announced a new cost-reflective electricity tariff within the second Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO-2) framework in June 2012, had then directed the 11 successive Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) distribution companies to commence and conclude the provision of metering facilities to customers across the nation within 18 months, it however announced at a press briefing in Abuja that the plan has been undermined by funding deficits, after about seven months into the directive.

Chairman of NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, stated that the commission had to tweak the initial 18-months metering plan to accommodate certain funding concerns raised by the distribution companies.

Amadi thus, explained that NERC has in this regard initiated an alternative plan aimed at encouraging self-financing of metering facilities by electricity consumers across the country.

 

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