A model framework developed by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to cap revenues accruable to electricity distribution companies in Nigeria’s electricity industry from estimated billing methods has revealed that the sector could lose as much as N12.532 billion from the proposed measure in one year.
The framework was contained in a concept note for the capping of monies that distribution companies (Discos) can make from customers on estimated billing methods. It showed that based on the current industry metering gap of 4,462,262, an average sum of N2,352.20 per meter could be forfeited as the yearly opportunity cost for Discos’ reluctance to provide meters to their customers.
Similarly, NERC has in the proposal opted to cap the monthly billable electricity consumption for three chief tariff cadres in its tariff grouping; R2, C1 and A1 at 125 kilowatts hour per month (kWh/month), 125kWh/month and 100kwH/month respectively.
Consumers on the R2, C1 and A1 tariff groupings are either on single or three-phase connections and use their premises exclusively as a residence, factory for manufacturing goods, as well as agricultural firms, water boards, religious houses, government and teaching hospitals, government research institutes and educational establishments.
NERC’s concept note on the estimated revenue cap explained that about 7,026,573 of electricity customers on R2 tariff cadre consumes an annual average of 9,398,263,687kWh of electricity, out of which 3,770,459 are unmetered and from which N5.805 billion is estimated to be lost in a year from the cap.
From C1 which has 682,544 unmetered customers, N4.004 billion will be cut off from the cap in one year while N2.723 will be cut from A1’s 9258 unmetered customer population within the same period.