NERC to Deploy Data Loggers to Monitor Defaulting Discos

 

Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is set to deploy data loggers in all power feeders belonging to Distribution Companies (Discos) to prevent them from ripping Nigerians off, following the transition of tariffs regime to the number of hours supplied.

A data logger is a specialised electronic device that measures and records specific data over a certain period of time or in relation to its location either with a built-in instrument or sensor or through external instruments and sensors.

Power consumers in the country have consistently complained since the release of the new service-based system on September 2 that giving the electricity distributors the freedom to determine and bill customers based on the number of electricity supplied was susceptible to abuse by the Discos.

Speaking during an online town hall meeting at the weekend, organised by NERC, the agency’s Commissioner in charge of Legal, Licensing and Compliance of the regulatory agency, Mr. Dafe Akpeneye, said the devices would ensure strict monitoring of power that gets to the final consumers to make sure there’s no discrepancy between data on Discos’ figures and the actual number of hours supplied.

NERC, however, failed to outline any sanctions that would be meted out to the defaulting Discos, but disclosed that after the adjudication process in cases where such complaints arise, the area or customer would be immediately reverted to a lower band depending on the supply deficit.

He said: “Customers have two payment options (for meters), the one-time payment and the installments option, so the Discos will take this into cognisance and meters will be installed on that basis during the meter rollout.

“If they (Discos) do not improve your service they cannot increase the tariff. From the monitoring standpoint, there’s going to be two-way monitoring. The commission is going to be installing data loggers in feeders for Discos and customers can lodge complaints.

“So, when the complaints are lodged and customers promised 20 to 24 hours were not provided that service, or only got 12 hours of supply, at the end of that adjudication process, the Discos have to transition those customers to the tariffs of customers who enjoy 12 hours of supply.”