The Enugu Electricity Regulatory Commission (EERC) has ordered the downgrade of 59 electricity feeders under the franchise of MainPower Electricity Distribution Company Limited, citing persistent shortfalls in power availability that left customers—especially those billed under higher tariff bands—receiving fewer hours of electricity than required.
Background: tariff bands and the availability standard
The action targets MainPower, a subsidiary of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), which supplies electricity to consumers in Enugu State.
EERC said its decision stems from MainPower’s failure to meet the minimum power-availability thresholds for customers in Band A, even as the utility charges Band A tariff rates. The commission linked the downgrade to the service-quality and hours-of-supply expectations set under Nigeria’s electricity regulatory framework.
In November 1, 2020, the national regulator categorized electricity users into five supply bands with specified minimum hours of availability:
- Band A: at least 20 hours
- Band B: at least 16 hours
- Band C: at least 12 hours
- Band D: at least 8 hours
- Band E: at least 4 hours
Why the commission stepped in
EERC said it faced public pressure from electricity users in Enugu who complained that the distribution company was not meeting supply targets. The regulator said the intervention was carried out using its statutory authority.
In a public notice signed by the commission, EERC stated that the downgrade of the affected feeders would remain in effect until power delivery improved on those lines.
According to EERC, the downgrade order was based on a sequence of responses to what it described as ongoing complaints, particularly from Band A customers who reported sharply reduced supply hours.
Audit, monitoring, and the service-based tariff test
To support its decision, EERC said it conducted a technical and safety audit of major injection substations operated by MainPower. It also continued routine monitoring of feeder performance through an online system: the Electronic Design and Manufacturing International (EDMI) Multidrive Manager.
- EERC said field inspection results and online monitoring both aligned with customer claims that MainPower did not deliver the expected hours of supply.
- The commission said the shortfall breached requirements under the Service-Based Tariff (SBT) framework.
- EERC described SBT as a model designed to ensure customers pay for electricity in line with the quality and number of hours of availability they actually receive.
What EERC ordered: 59 feeders downgraded, with possible future upgrades
EERC notified the public that it directed MainPower to downgrade all 59 affected feeders to the appropriate service bands immediately, based on the commission’s directive.
The regulator also indicated that it may consider upgrading any of the downgraded feeders if MainPower requests it—provided verification shows the feeder met the minimum hours threshold in the month before the request, consistent with the SBT approach.
Examples of feeder downgrades cited by EERC
- 9th Mile Industrial 11KV: downgraded from Band A to Band C
- Abakaliki Road 11KV: downgraded from Band A to Band C
- Abakpa 1 11KV: downgraded from Band A to Band C
- Abakpa 2 11KV: downgraded from Band A to Band C
- Abakpa 3 11KV: downgraded from Band B to Band C
- Amorji 11KV: downgraded from Band B to Band D
- Nsukka Township: downgraded from Band B to Band D
- Presidential: downgraded from Band A to Band C
- UNEC: downgraded from Band A to Band D
- University of Nigeria Nsukka: downgraded from Band A to Band D
- Government House: downgraded from Band A to Band E
Other affected areas referenced in the notice
- Emene
- Topland
- Ugwuoye
- Chime Avenue
- Achi
- Amechi
- Ibagwa
- Ugwuogo
- Ugwuaji
- Okwe
- NOWAS
- Coca Cola
- Coal Camp
- Dhamija
- Among others
