PHED shuns senate, implements new electricity tariff

The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) has said it would undermine the Senate and the law court to enforce the new electricity tariff, saying they have no jurisdiction over electricity tariff matters.

Coporate Communication manager, Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, (PHED), Mr. Jona Iboma, insisted in Calabar on Friday, that the new tariff would soon be implemented by the DISCO. He gave insight into the position of the DISCO at a seminar to intimate customers with the new tariff order, which commenced month.

Iboma said appeal had been filled against the case instituted against the National Electricity Regulatory Commission(NERC), by an individual.

According to him, only NERC has the power to issue an order on tariff implementation, adding that a court or Senate order cannot halt the process.

“One, the case instituted against the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) was not instituted against DISCOs and that case instituted by AN individual has been appealed by the regulatory commission and so because an appeal has been filed, the statusquo remains.

“Two, NECR is the regulator of the industry. How many regulatory agencies can we have? The court cannot regulate the industry, Senate cannot regulate the industry and so the regulatory commission has issued a new tariff order to electricity distribution companies and that is what guide the industry today and until a counter order, is issued, we cannot be obeying any other person but the regulatory commission because that is the government organ that is established by law to regulate the industry,”Iboma said

The DISCO spokesman said the case that is before the court has not even been fully determined. “As a distribution company we are only following what the law is saying, a new tariff order, a new tariff law has been instituted and that is what we are implementing. All the DISCOs are implementing it.