Electricity firm explains why some customers are now paying higher bills

The Port Harcourt Distribution Company (PHED) has attributed rising electricity bills borne by some customers to feeder upgrades designed to improve power supply.

Adamma Ogwuegbu, head of customer service at PHED, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria on the sidelines of the company’s customer appreciation event held in Port Harcourt.

Mrs Ogwuegbu said some customers were experiencing higher tariffs following the migration of their feeders to Band A.

She stated that customers whose feeders were upgraded to provide 24-hour electricity were expected to pay the corresponding tariff.

“Some customers are experiencing increased tariffs because their electricity feeders have been migrated to a band that supplies electricity 24 hours,” she said.

Mrs Ogwuegbu said some customers were still expecting to continue paying the same rates they had paid before their feeders were upgraded.

She said the company was engaging customers to explain the differences in tariffs across the various electricity supply bands.

According to her, the challenge was partly due to customers’ limited understanding of the relationship between electricity supply levels and applicable tariffs.

The PHED official said electricity distribution was a business that required operators to recover revenue to sustain their operations.

“For us to remain in business, when we sell, we should be able to recover the revenue. Failure to recover revenue could threaten the sustainability of electricity distribution operations,” she said.

Mrs Ogwuegbu stated that customers should be willing to pay for electricity when supply is adequate and reliable. She said PHED would continue engaging and educating customers on tariffs, feeder upgrades and the need for improved revenue collection.

She also reaffirmed the company’s commitment to improving customer service and responding more effectively to complaints.

“The journey has not been perfect. However, we are committed to improving, listening better, responding better and treating our customers better,” she said.

Mrs Ogwuegbu said the customer appreciation event was organised to recognise customers whose patronage and support had sustained the company’s operations.

Praises, criticisms

Earlier, Emeka Ojoko, the Executive Coordinator, NEPA Wahala, a consumer advocacy initiative that helps electricity customers resolve billing, metering, and illegal disconnection issues with distribution companies, urged PHED to improve its response to customers’ complaints.

Mr Ojoko acknowledged improvements in electricity supply in some parts of Port Harcourt but noted that the company’s response to prolonged outages and other complaints remained inadequate.

“For a Band A customer, you should not have prolonged outages, but whenever I have them, the response time is not as good as it ought to be,” he said.

He said that customers often had to rely on personal connections within the company to get their complaints addressed.

He described the situation as unfair, stressing that every customer deserved prompt attention, regardless of personal relationships.

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“Every customer deserves to have a listening ear. Even if you cannot solve the problem at once, somebody should respond promptly,” he said.

Another customer, Festus Ola, said electricity was critical to his steel production business, which required substantial power to operate.

Mr Ola said that the company had experienced significant improvements in electricity supply over the past few months.

“In the past three to four months, we have never had power failure in our factory,” he said.

NAN reports that the Chairman, PHED Board of Directors, Olice Kemenanabo, presented awards to the company’s best customers across the four states it covers: Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers.

Bayo Yao Iron and Steel Company won the Best Customer Award, followed by Heliconia Park Hotel in second place and CWay Company in third place.