S’East electricity consumers write EERC, demands resolution of tariff dispute with MPDL
Electricity consumers in the South East have urged the Enugu Electricity Regulatory Commission, EERC, to, as a matter of urgency, resolve any pending tariff impasse between it and Mainpower Electricity Distribution Limited, MPDL.
The group, under the aegis of South East Electricity Consumers Association, SEECA, said that Enugu, being the capital of Igbo land and the defunct East Central State, required peace and stable power supply in a manner that will neither exploit the consumers nor the electricity distribution company in charge of the state.
In a letter submitted to EERC by the group and signed by its Coordinator, Dr. Sebastine Chukwuebuka Okafor, he stated that the ongoing dispute over the July 18, 2025 tariff order had thrown many communities into darkness and deepened confusion in the electricity supply chain.
He also stated that such a sensitive matter affecting the lives of millions of residents should not be allowed to linger.
According to him, the Association had carefully studied the issues surrounding the tariff order and observed that both parties have entrenched positions which have stalled progress.
Okafor also explained that the disagreement over data usage, technical losses, operational costs, and capital expenditure recognition are all technical matters that require neutral intervention.
He revealed that MPDL had filed a petition against the tariff reduction, arguing that the new Band A tariff of N160/kwh would cause the company a loss of over N1.3 billion in the first month, while the regulator maintained that the figures were derived from the company’s own submissions.
SEECA also posited that, since the dispute began, power supply in Enugu nosedived, leaving several neighbourhoods in darkness for days.
In its recommendations, SEECA urged EERC to suspend the implementation of the disputed tariff order until the matter is fully addressed, while also calling for the appointment of an independent and technically grounded third party to review the contested figures and mediate between both sides.
The group also demanded that provision for meter installation be factored into the tariff framework to ensure smooth and timely distribution of meters to all unmetered customers across the state.
It, however, appealed to the regulator to maintain its impartial role and balance the interests of investors and consumers for sustainable electricity delivery in the region.
