CAPMI: PHED Begins Refund

The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED), is set to commence payment to customers who paid for meters through the Credited Advance Programme for Metering Implementation,( CAPMI).
The exercise which is about to commence is for repayment and crediting of customers, who enrolled in the CAPMI scheme since January,2017.
The Tide learnt that the exercise is in line with Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, (NERC), directive on the implementation of CAPMI refund, under the harmonized Multi Year Tariff Order, MYTO, 2015 which states that the refund due to customers shall be with 12% interest and will be done through a reduction of 100% of the monthly fixed charge component of their electricity bill.
In a statement on Wednesday by the Head Communication of PHED, Mr. John Onyi, said  the repayment period for this scheme shall be for the next three years or as determined by the Commission from time to time.
Onyi, however, explained that the fixed charge was removed from the bills of customers leaving only energy consumption and value added tax.
According to him, the regulatory body arrived at the removal of the fixed charges after series of consultations with various stakeholders in the electricity industry across the nation.
Meanwhile, PHED has expressed surprise that only about 27,000 customers out of the lot lapped on the opportunity before it finally wind up on November 1, 2016.
He said, “PHED, in adherence to  NERC’s directive, has started the refund of the total sum paid, by spreading it in 24 months for single phase and 36 months for three phase meters, respectively. This refund shall be through energy consumed”.
It will be recalled that NERC in 2014 adopted the CAPMI scheme to  willing customers with a view to bridging the metering gap in the system, in order to reduce complaints of perceived over billings from those without meters.

Tonye Nria-Dappa