Power Crisis Deepens as DisCos Struggle to Prioritize Band A Customers
The lingering gas shortage crippling power generation in Nigeria since January has left many electricity distribution companies (DisCos) grappling to provide the mandated 20-hour daily supply to their Band A customers. According to findings by Sunday PUNCH, while DisCos strive to meet the required supply hours for the premium Band A category, their counterparts in Bands B, C, D, and E have been left in the dark.
The report reveals that DisCos are concentrating their efforts on Band A customers to prevent their lucrative Band A feeders from being downgraded by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). Band A customers, who pay the highest tariff, are entitled to a minimum of 20 hours of electricity daily.
The situation escalated earlier this month when NERC announced the removal of subsidies for Band A customers, leading to a significant tariff hike from N68 per kilowatt-hour to N255/kWh. In response, the regulator directed the 11 DisCos to release their lists of Band A customers and warned of sanctions for failure to supply them with the required 20-hour service.
As DisCos strive to comply, some have resorted to diverting their limited allocation to Band A customers, leaving other bands with prolonged power outages. This move comes despite the unresolved gas constraints that have hindered power generation since the beginning of the year.
Electricity consumers have continued to voice their frustrations over prolonged power outages, even during the recent Easter and Eid-el-Fitri festivities. Complaints have poured in from various states, including Abuja, Kogi, Niger, Ogun, and others, with residents lamenting the lack of electricity for days on end.
In compliance with NERC’s directive, DisCos have been daily declaring their inability to meet the service level, citing technical glitches and blaming the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). The Enugu, Kaduna, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Yola, and Benin DisCos have all reported service shortfalls, apologizing to their affected Band A customers.
As the DisCos prioritize their premium customers, those in Bands B to E have been left feeling neglected, further exacerbating the power crisis gripping the nation.
