The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has imposed a fine of N200 million on Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) for wrongful billing of customers following a recent hike in electricity tariffs.
This is contained in a circular from the management of the commission dated April 5, 2024.
NERC noted that the Disco refused to comply with the prescribed customer band classifications for the tariff billing.
The commission said, upon a detailed assessment, that AEDC did not adhere to fair billing practices, applying the new tariff indiscriminately across all customer categories instead of just those in Band A.
NERC further ordered AEDC to reimburse all customers who were charged the new electricity bill tariff but are not under the Band A category.
According to the commission, this reimbursement must be done through the provision of the balance of customer tokens that the affected customers would be entitled to receive.
Furthermore, NERC stipulated that the reimbursement must be completed by no later than 11 April 2024.
After NERC announced a tariff increase for customers in the Band A category, Abuja Disco applied the new rates to certain customers, whom the company believed fell into the affected category.
The company, however, issued an apology stating that the increase in tariff was as a result of system glitch as the customers had already been downgraded to Band B.