DisCos record N26.11 billion tariff shortfall in March

Electricity distribution companies (DisCos) reported a tariff shortfall of N26.11 billion in March as the disparity between the cost of electricity supply and the revenue generated continues,

According to the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), DisCos remitted N100.44 billion leaving a shortfall of N26.11bn from the actual billing of N126.56 billion.

The shortfall raises concerns about the financial viability of the DisCos.

In a breakdown of the shortfall, the commercial performance fact sheet of DisCos released yesterday showed that Aba was billed N1.89 billion but remitted N1.11 billion while Abuja Disco was billed N20.6 billion but remitted N16.75 billion leaving a shortfall of N3.85 billion.

Benin DisCo was billed N9.67 billion but remitted N7.53 billion leaving a shortfall of N2.14 billion just as Eko DisCo was billed N19.43 billion but remitted N16.72 billion leaving a shortfall of N2.71 billion.

Enugu DisCo was billed N8.48 billion but remitted N6.9 billion leaving a shortfall of N1.58 billion; Ibadan Disco was billed N15.46 billion but remitted N10.05 billion while Ikeja DisCo was billed but remitted N20.7 billion.

Jos was billed N7.05 billion but remitted N4.51 leaving a shortfall of N2.54 billion; Kaduna DisCo was billed N4.77 billion but remitted N3.19 billion leaving a shortfall of N1.58 billion; Kano was billed N7.28 billion but remitted N4.19 billion leaving a shortfall of N3.09 billion.

Port Harcourt remitted N7.24 billion from the N9.14 billion it was billed while Yola DisCo was billed N4.1 billion but remitted N1.5 billion leaving a shortfall of N2.6 billion.

DisCos have a collection efficiency of 79.36 per cent, the report said.

The allowed tariff of the DisCos in the revenue recovery performance by NERC is N62.73k with an actual average collection of N40.69k records a recovery efficiency of 67.94 per cent.

However, the billing efficiency of DisCos for March was 79.31 per cent, receiving a total energy of 2,468.72GWh while they were billed a total of 1,957.86GWh.