By Musa Adamu
Abuja
The management of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has further clarified that the 50 percent reduction in electricity tariff by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) does not affect residential consumers, most of whom fall under the R1 and R2 tariff categories.
The company said in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja that this clarification became necessary in view of the misconceptions by some of its customers that the recent reduction by NERC was for all categories of electricity consumers, thereby resisting payment of their electricity bills in full.
According to AEDC, the tariff for customers in the R1 & R2 tariff class was not adjusted in the last tariff adjustment by the NERC, hence these classes of customers were not affected in the new tariff reduction, which it said was meant for commercial and industrial customers alone.
Quoting the Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Dr. Sam Amadi, in confirming of its position, AEDC added that majority of the residential customers in the R2 and R1 categories did not experience the January 1, 2015 increase in tariff.
“They will not also see any reversal or reduction in tariff as the industrial, commercial and high-end residential consumers whose tariffs were increased,” it said.
NERC had explained earlier on that the increase in tariff for residential consumers was frozen until June this year, meaning that the residential consumers were not paying the increase effected in January, 2015, and would therefore not see any reduction in their electricity bills.
The AEDC management said that in furtherance of its avowed commitment to the success of the transformation in the power sector, it would ensure total compliance with NERC directives on tariffs and sundry issues.