NERC orders customers to get DISCOS’ approval before buying transformers

By ODIMMEGWA JOHNPETER, Abuja

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has warned individuals and organisations against buying and installing transformers without the approval of the power distribution company (DisCo) that supervises the community, its Head, Consumer Affairs Division, Hardley Jack, has said.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ forum in Lagos, he said it was wrong for anybody to bypass the laws guiding the operation of the sector as contained in the Act for the privatisation of the power sector by the government.

He said the sector may be facing problems such as metering, transformers, and other key components, but it did not give customers the right to do whatever they like.

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He said there are laws, which NERC, the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Bulk Trading Company (NBET), the power generation companies (GenCos), electricity distribution companies and other critical stakeholders in the value chain must comply with for the growth of the sector, adding that actions that are contrary to this, amount to disobedience.

He said the DisCos can solve the metering problems as they affect them directly. He, however, said that gas, power generation and others should be jointly addressed by the stakeholders.

He said the Commission is flooded with complaints from the customers, just as the DisCos are battling with the same complaints. According to him, DisCos and the customers need to work together to solve problems as partners.

The Chairman, MEMCOL Nigeria Limited, Mr. Kola Balogun, said the issue of provision of meters can be addressed if stakeholders in the industry are committed to do so. He said the dependence on foreign meter producers by the power firms makes it difficult for many consumers to get meters