Electricity Consumption Profile of Urban Households in Nsukka, Enugu State Implications on Energy Expenditures and Savings

Abstract

In recent times, the uncontrollably rising global energy consumption has become a global problem with its attendant socio-economic and environmental consequences. Hence, this study utilized linear regression model to examine how households’ socio-economic attributes and use of appliances together determine electricity consumption and savings in Nsukka metropolis, Enugu state, Nigeria. Socio-economic variables found to have positive and significant effect on electricity consumption were age of working-class respondents, being married, household size, household active members, unemployed household members, prepaid and estimated electricity billing system, monthly income and high electricity supply hours. In terms of electrical appliances, high hours of electronics use per week, incandescent and LED bulbs usage, high number of bulbs, cooling hours of 9 and above per week, lighting hours of 16 and above and weekly heating hours were positively related to electricity consumption and statistically significant. We suggest that the creation of energy efficiency awareness at the household and educational institution levels should be vigorously pursued. The government should subsidize the prices of energy-efficient appliances to encourage purchases by low-income earners. Constant overbilling of estimated and postpaid electricity users, as lamented by respondents in the survey, should be discouraged by electricity users. This will enable users to conserve energy and not waste energy as revenge tactics for overbilling. The promotion and full deployment of prepaid meters in the study area by electricity providers would go a long way in complementing the efforts for clean development mechanisms in Nigeria.