BEDC resolves 128,000 complaints on low supply, bill estimations

As the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) opened its
Customer Complaints Forum Office in Asaba, Delta State on Tuesday,

Managing Director/CEO, Benin Electricity Distribution Plc (BEDC) Mrs.
Funke Osibodu has opined that the commissioning of the Asaba Customer
Complaints Forum Office geared towards ensuring speedy resolution of
electricity disputes will re-invigorate BEDC’s commitment to improve
customer service standard in Delta state despite numerous challenges
confronting distribution companies (discos) bordering on low power
generation to the grid, metering gaps, transmission limitations, low
payment culture and vandalization of power infrastructure, among
others.

“The power sector is a value chain comprising of generation,
transmission, distribution and ultimately the customer utilization.
This implies a string of interdependency amongst the four tiers.
Whilst the customer is king, he must pay for services rendered to him,
in order to ensure that the entire value chain continues to provide
good service.” remarked Mrs. Osibodu who was represented by the
Executive Director, Commercial, Abu Ejoor .

The MD of BEDC further disclosed that BEDC has resolved about 128,000
complaints since inception till date, majority of them bordering on
low supply and bill estimation complaints. Sheadded that as part of
efforts at resolving complaints on estimated billing and in order to
assist customer self-manage and regulate their electricity
consumption, BEDC has also introduced the billing calculator format.

This she explained, is for customers to estimate their potential
billing from consumption adding “customers can thus calculate the
installed electrical load in the customer’s premises in conjunction
with available power supplied to produce an estimate of likely billing
and use same to cross check the billing as well as manage the use of
appliances that consume heavy load.”

In his welcome address, Commissioner, Consumer Affairs, NERC, Dr Moses
A. Arigu, affirmed that the opening of the Customer Complaints Forum
office could not have come at a better time than now that customers
within BEDC network were facing myriad of challenges including safety
issues, disconnection of communities, estimated billing issues.

Dr Arigu observed that even though BEDC holds a 30 per cent deficit in
metering yet the implementation of its meter roll out plan in
accordance with the performance agreement will inject an average of
about 100,000 meters annually over the next five years thus closing
the metering gap within the next three years based on the roll out
plan.

He asserted that while the Commission has wound down the Credited
Advance Payment for Metering Implementation (CAPMI) programme efforts
were being made to ensure that the pace of metering continues using
other schemes currently being reviewed.

While congratulating the newly appointed forum members, Arigu said the
Customer Complaints Forum office was unique in terms of its unabridged
disposition in dealing with issues from electricity customers within
and around Asaba and BEDC coverage areas, and urged the members to
approach their tasks with equity and patriotism in dealing with
complaints.

“The growth and development of the electricity sector is a joint
responsibility of the operators and the customers and so the
establishment of a redress mechanism like the Customer Complaints
forum would further promote such relationship, “he added.
In his remarks, Delta State Commissioner for Energy, Barrister
Newworld Safugha who represented the Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi
Okowa and Senator James Manager, Chairman, Senate Committee on Solid
Minerals said the danger of illegal connections and overbilling were
of concern to the government requesting the forum should address
them.

He noted that the Delta State government had through his ministry
created a platform for billing resolution on which several issues were
resolved and thanked BEDC for co-operating with the resolution
process.