The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has reviewed penalties for electricity theft, meter by-passing and other bad practices.
The Commission said this would deter people from committing offences such as meter-tampering and theft.
It said it had been getting complaints from the power distribution companies (DisCos).
In a circular titled: “Order on unauthorised access, meter tampering and by-pass” Order Number: NERC/REG/41/2017, jointly signed by the Commission’s Vice Chairman, Sanusi Garba and its Commissioner, Legal, Licensing & Compliance, Dafe C. Akpeneye, the Commission ordered DisCos to disconnect unauthorised distribution networks and impose a fine on the perpetrators.
NERC added that any customer that tampered with a meter or bypassed one would pay for the reconnection and other administrative charges.
“Discos are authorised to back-bill customers who gain unauthorised access to electricity at the prevailing tariff of the customer for the established period of the unauthorised access,” it said.
