As a result of a gas shortage that has been impacting power generation since January, numerous electricity distribution companies are facing challenges in meeting the demand for 20 hours of electricity for Band A customers.
According to Sunday PUNCH’s investigation, it has been observed that while DisCos make efforts to fulfil the necessary supply hours for Band A customers, customers on Bands B, C, D, and E have been experiencing power outages.
According to our sources, the distribution companies have been prioritising Band A customers in order to prevent downgrades to their Band A feeders.
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Music group Customers are able to enjoy a minimum of 20 hours of electricity every day.
Recently, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission made an important announcement regarding the subsidies for electricity consumed by Band A customers.
There has been an increase in the electricity tariff for Band A customers, with the new rate set at N255 per kilowatt-hour.
Did you know that 1 kWh represents the energy consumed by a 1,000-watt appliance running for an hour? It’s quite fascinating how this unit of measurement quantifies energy usage. As an illustration, if a 100-watt light bulb is used for 10 hours, it would consume 1 kWh.
Following the removal of the power subsidy, the NERC has instructed the 11 DisCos to disclose the lists of Band A customers, who are entitled to a minimum of 20 hours of daily power supply.
The regulator and the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, made it clear that there would be consequences if the distribution companies do not provide Band A customers with 20 hours of electricity.
The DisCos were also required to notify customers in case they were unable to meet the minimum service level as per regulations.
According to NERC, if a DisCo is unable to meet the expected level of service on a Band A feeder for two consecutive days, they are required to provide an explanation for the failure on their website by 10 am the following day. Additionally, the DisCo must keep the affected customers informed about when the service will be restored to the expected level.
The statement mentioned that when a customer’s service level reaches a minimum of 20 hours, they should be moved up to Band A from lower service bands. It also mentioned that if the DisCo fails to meet the committed service level for a Band A feeder for seven consecutive days, the feeder will be downgraded to the recorded level of supply according to the applicable framework.
According to our correspondent, it has been observed that some DisCos are redirecting their limited resources towards serving Band A customers in order to meet service level requirements.
Despite the ongoing gas constraints that continue to impede power generation, no progress has been made in addressing this issue.
Several communities have been experiencing a significant shortage of power supply since January. The government has attributed this issue to the gas companies’ refusal to supply gas to power-generating companies, citing heavy debt as the reason.
“One of the primary factors is the low supply of gas to generating companies, which has led to a gradual decrease in available generation on the grid. According to the IBEDC spokesperson, Busolami Tunwase, the reduced power available on the transmission grid has had a significant impact on our ability to provide power to customers within our franchise areas, including Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Kwara, and partly in Kogi, Niger, and Ekiti States.
During the Easter and Eid-el-Fitri festivities, many electricity consumers expressed their frustration with prolonged power outages in their areas, according to our correspondent’s observations.
