The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has instructed power distribution firms not to cut off electricity to any locations where a life-support machine is in use.
The latest Customer Protection Regulations 2023, with regulation number: NERC-R-001-2023, were obtained in Abuja on Monday. NERC issued the order under those regulations.
A distribution company shall not terminate power service to any property where it is aware that a life-support machine is in use, according to one of the several instructions given to Discos in the NERC ruling.
clients having installed life-support systems must come to an agreement with the distributor for the payment of their bills, and the distributor may use additional legal procedures to collect any unpaid debt from these clients.
Customers who were disconnected for breaking these rules must receive compensation, according to the authority overseeing the electrical sector.
For each day the incorrect disconnection lasts, customers should get energy credits equal to their average daily consumption calculated based on their consumption or bills for the previous three months.
In the following situations, A distribution firm shall reconnect electricity service to a customer’s premises within the time frame specified in these regulations:
When a disconnected client makes all payments to the distribution firm as authorized by the commission or enters into a mutually agreeable payment arrangement with the distribution company,” the regulator said.
It further stated that the Distribution Company shall re-connect a power user when the customer who was disconnected for unauthorized access to the distribution network regularizes the electricity supply arrangements to his premises to the satisfaction of the Distribution Company and pays all fees assessed by the Distribution Company for the unauthorized access.
