issues of meter reading, billing & estimated bills.

When we say that a customer’s meter “could not be read”, it basically means that the Disco was unable to read a customer’s meter due to inaccessibility occasioned by locked doors, customer not being at home etc. Where this is the case, the Disco cannot just proceed to estimate the bills of its customer. It must first notify the customer of its intention to estimate the customer’s bill in a manner approved by NERC and then proceed to estimate the bill of the customer for that period.

Regulation 3(1)(b) NERC’s Estimated Billing Methodology Regulation 2012.

You are entitled to get a new bill correcting the previously inaccurate bill. Also, any bill correcting previous inaccurate bill must have a payment date which is at least 10 working days from the date of delivery of the corrected bill to the supply address or delivery address as provided by the customer.

Regulation 5(2) NERC’s Connection and Disconnection Procedures for Electricity Services 2007.

Yes. Where a distribution company is unable to obtain a meter reading at a customer’s premises, it shall leave a notice in the premises of the customer explaining that it was unable to obtain a meter reading. The Disco, as a matter of fact must state in the notice that the customer is entitled to provide its own reading, failure upon which the customer will be billed by estimate. The Disco is bound to accept the customer’s own meter reading if provided.

Regulation 1 NERC’s Meter Reading, Cash Collections and Credit Management for Electricity Supplies Regulation 2007.

Where agreement on an amount cannot be reached between the Disco and the customer during the review of customer’s bill, then the customer will pay an amount equal to the average amount of his bill at his current supply address over the period of 12 months. The actual amount shall equal the average amount of the customer’s bills for the period that he has been the customer at the supply address.

Regulation 9(2) NERC’s Meter Reading, Cash Collections and Credit Management for Electricity Supplies Regulation 2007.

If the bill under review is found to be correct, it is immaterial that the customer has paid a reasonable price as agreed between him and the Distribution Company. The customer is mandated to pay the balance that will make up the correct bill. However, the customer may also take the option of requesting that a meter test be conducted in accordance with the criteria set out in the metering code. Regulation 9(4) NERC’s Meter Reading, Cash Collections and Credit Management for Electricity Supplies Regulation 2007.

The following categories of customers may be issued estimated billing:

i. Customers with faulty meters.

ii. Customers whose meters cannot be read.

iii. Existing customers without meters

Regulation 3(1)(a)(b)(c) NERC’s Estimated Billing Methodology Regulation 2012.

To checkmate arbitrary estimated billing, the NERC makes it mandatory that all estimated bill must be done in accordance with its approved criteria. Also every Disco must provide the NERC (commission) with a report of estimated bills in every billing cycle in the prescribed format.

Regulation 7 NERC’s Estimated Billing Methodology Regulation 2012

It is highly improper. Electricity billing is made only once during the same billing period subject however to some exceptional circumstances which include:

i. Situations where it is necessary to amend an earlier incorrect bill; or

ii. Where a special request for supplementary bill is made by the customer.

Regulation 7(1)(2) NERC’s Meter Reading, Cash Collections and Credit Management for Electricity Supplies Regulation 2007.

Estimated billing is not prohibited but only to be resorted to where it becomes unavoidable and expedient. Where the Disco is unable to obtain an actual meter reading at a customer’s premises, the customer’s electricity usage will be estimated by the company unless the customer provides his own meter readings within a stipulated time.

Regulation 2 NERC’s Estimated Billing Methodology Regulation 2012

Yes. Where a customer request that his bill be reviewed, the Disco is expected to do so. During the process when the review is ongoing, the billing of the customer shall be at a reasonable price agreed between the customer and the company.

Regulation 9(1)(2) NERC’s Meter Reading, Cash Collections and Credit Management for Electricity Supplies Regulation 2007.

The customer service standard performance regulation is one which must be complied with at all cost. In fact, the distribution company is enjoined to monitor its performance against each of the customer service standards of service, detailed in regulation 1 – 10 of the Regulation.

To ensure compliance, the NERC request that every distribution company must submit to the commission on a monthly basis, a summary of its performance against each of the customer service standards regulation.

Regulation 12 Customer Service Standards of Performance for Distribution Companies 2007.

No. the distribution company, where it is forced to go by estimating a customer usage, must adopt the NERC’s approved methodology for estimated billing and the customer’s estimated electricity usage shall under no circumstances be arbitrarily inflated.

Regulation 2(3) NERC’s Estimated Billing Methodology Regulation 2012

Yes. A customer is expected to request his Disco to undertake a final reading of his meter when he vacates his premises and same shall be used to calculate his final electricity usage.

Regulation 2(1) NERC’s Meter Reading, Cash Collections and Credit Management for Electricity Supplies Regulation 2007.