The Implications of Estimated Billing System on Nigerian Electricity Consumers

摘要

Estimated billing is a system of charging unmetered electricity consumers for electrical energy consumed based on their previous usage, without considering the actual quantity of energy consumed. Consumers in this system are mandated to pay far above what they consumed on monthly basis. It involves buying/ selling of electricity after consumption. The complaints from the consumers of electricity on the unreliability of supply from the distribution company in Nigeria, as well as high estimated bills for the energy consumed, and the management of the available supplies to take care of needs of consumers with limited resources is discussed. This work takes a critical look at the electricity consumers consumption pattern with the use of estimated bills and prepaid meter bills in one of the major Estates in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria, from two EEDC clients who are apparently living in the same building, but different flats. Their utility bills between the months of September 2016 and August 2017 were used in this study. The total load assessment for a three- bedroom home occupied by these consumers was carried out. A software-based graphical analysis of the data gotten from them was carried out. This analysis revealed implications of estimated billing system on these consumers as compared with the benefits of prepaid billing. This research was summed up with a far reaching recommendations which if implemented will curb the menace of estimated billing system in Nigeria.