THE ENUGU STATE ELECTRICITY REGULATORY COMMISSION(EERC) MANDATES MAINPOWER TO COMPENSATE 20,000 CUSTOMERS FOR EXCESSIVE BILLING
The Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission (EERC) has directed MainPower Electricity Distribution Company (formerly Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC) to refund over 20,000 customers who were wrongfully overbilled.
This directive, issued in a public notice on Monday, follows a wave of complaints from consumers who were charged inflated electricity bills despite being on estimated billing plans.
According to the EERC, the order was made pursuant to Section 35 of the Enugu State Electricity Law, 2023. The Commission stated that the overbilling occurred in April 2025, and customers must be refunded for the excess units charged during that period.
Affected customers have been listed on the Commission’s website at www.eerc.en.gov.ng/order. Those who do not receive their refunds by the specified deadline are encouraged to contact the Commission via email at [email protected] or call 09122642755.
The directive, signed by EERC Chairman Chijioke Okonkwo and Commissioner for Market Operations, Barr. Reuben Okoye, gives MainPower until the July 2025 billing cycle to complete the refunds. Failure to comply will attract a fine of ₦500,000 per day in line with the Enugu State Electricity Law.
The Commission revealed it began monitoring MainPower’s estimated billing practices in October 2024 after assuming full regulatory oversight from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). It first raised concerns in a letter dated December 16, 2024, which MainPower responded to on January 14, 2025 — though the reply was deemed unsatisfactory.
Further warnings were issued in April 2025, when the Commission flagged continuous violations between October 2024 and February 2025, demanding corrections in subsequent billing cycles. In a May 6, 2025 letter, EERC also questioned the “striking similarity” between MainPower’s billing figures for February and March 2025, giving the company 14 days to respond. That deadline expired on May 23, 2025, with no response received.
A subsequent review of MainPower’s April 2025 billing revealed an even higher violation rate—34% compared to the 24% observed in February and March. The Commission concluded that MainPower had intentionally breached the estimated billing cap stipulated in its interim license.
As a result, the EERC has now ordered a full refund of the excess charges to all affected customers within the June 2025 billing cycle, or at the latest, by July 2025.
Failure to comply will trigger daily penalties until full restitution is made.
