Power Sector And Other Related News Stories For Tuesday 16th May 2023
Don’t Disconnect Premises With Life-Support Machines, NERC Orders Discos
Power distribution companies have been ordered by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission not to disconnect electricity supply to any premises where a life-support machine is in use.
NERC gave the order in its latest Customer Protection Regulations 2023, with regulation number: NERC-R-001-2023, obtained in Abuja on Monday.
The mandate, which was among many other directives to Discos, as contained in the NERC order, read in part, “A distribution company shall not disconnect electricity supply to any premises where, it is aware, that a life-support machine is in use.
https://punchng.com/dont-disconnect-premises-with-life-support-machines-nerc-orders-discos/
Buhari’s Enduring Legacies In Power Sector
The history of the privatised power sector in Nigeria will never be fully told without mentioning the name of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB). In the same manner as former president Olusegun Obasanjo, both former generals will be remembered for significantly shaping the direction of the Nigerian power sector by means of the constitution. The former for amending the constitution to allow states to have the ability to license and regulate the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity in their domains and the latter for pioneering the reform of the power sector which led to the enactment of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (EPSRA 2005) that paved way for the privatization of the moribund vertically integrated National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) and its successor, Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). Both have mediated the move for restructuring the power sector landscape to entrench competition and improve the experience of consumers in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
https://nationaleconomy.com/buharis-enduring-legacies-in-power-sector/
New NERC Guidelines Give Customers 12 Days To Pay For Electricity Bill Or Be Disconnected
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has provided a set of rules that protect both the customer and the electricity distribution companies (DisCos) in charge of providing power to all customers across the country. In its 2023 Customer Protection Regulations, NERC issues some rules guiding operations in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI). Some of the rules include
Uncertainty Over $2.3b Siemens Deal As Grid Collapses 99th Time Under Buhari
Less than two weeks to the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, the failure of the much-hyped Nigeria-Germany electricity deal, expected to be implemented by Siemens, re-echoed yesterday, even as the national grid collapsed again, throwing the nation into darkness.
Yesterday’s failure marked the 99th time the grid would crash under Buhari’s two-term administration. He had promised to raise the power performance level to 10,000 megawatts (MW) at the close of his first term in 2019.
Energy Transition Plan And The Solar Solution
Until Nigeria fully gets the Energy Transition Plan (ETP) on the way and across the board, there may be no end to its seemingly intractable power challenges. Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, recently said that for Nigeria to attain energy sufficiency by 2060, the country must generate 5,300 megawatts (MW) of electricity yearly, especially through alternative sources. But beyond just talking about the sufficient energy future that should be, it is time for all hands to be on deck for conscientious implementation of the energy transition agenda and its options.
https://guardian.ng/opinion/energy-transition-plan-and-the-solar-solution/
$1.3bn Zungeru Hydroelectric Plant Completed, Ready for Inauguration
The Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, has revealed that the 700 megawatts Zungeru Hydroelectric power project has been completed, stressing that the facility will be able to send power to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) soon.
THISDAY learnt that the project worth over $1.3 billion, is being constructed by CNEEC and SINOHYDRO in Niger state, Nigeria. It is said to be the second-largest hydroelectric power project in the country behind the 760 megawatts (1,020,000 hp) Kainji hydroelectric power project.
The minister, who spoke while on inspection visit of the project in the company of members of the Senate committee on Power chaired by Senator Gabriel Suswam and the governor of Niger state, Abubakar Sani Bello, pointed out that all the turbines had been tested and plans were being concluded for the official launch of the project.
Sweden Greenlights Two Offshore Wind Power Farms
Sweden’s government on Tuesday said it approved two offshore wind power farms off the country’s west coast, totalling some 100 turbines, while stressing that it was not abandoning nuclear power.
The two farms are expected to contribute up 6.5 terawatt-hours when completed, which the government said is expected to take seven to 10 years.
Swedish state-owned utility Vattenfall was given a permit for the “Kattegatt Syd” park with 80 turbines planned and renewable energy company OX2 was given a permit for the “Galene” park with 21 turbines.
https://guardian.ng/news/sweden-greenlights-two-offshore-windpower-farms/
