Power Sector And Other Related News Stories For Tuesday January 3rd 2024
Power Outage Hits Rivers Over Collapsed Poles
Some parts of Rivers State are currently experiencing electricity outages.
The Port Harcourt Electricity distribution company, PHED, confirmed the outage in a public notice on Tuesday.
DAILY POST gathered that the outage had been on for over 17 hours.
PHED blamed the outage on collapsed poles around Springhill, Uyo Street in Port Harcourt, which interrupted power supply from its Rumuola Feeder 3 and Refinery Feeder 2.
The areas affected by the outage include Rumuomasi, Rumola, Orazi, Rumuomio, Rumuigbo and Rumuorosi, GRA, waterlines, Oroworokwo, Oromoroezimgbu, Rumuokwuta and Bori camp all in Rivers state.
“Kindly be informed that Rumuola Feeder 3 and Refinery Feeder 2 are out of supply due to collapsed poles around Springhill and Uyo Street.
“Areas affected include Rumuomasi, Rumola, Orazi, Rumuomio, Rumuigbo and Rumuorosi. Others are GRA, waterlines, Oroworokwo, Oromoroezimgbu, Rumuokwuta and Bori camp.
https://dailypost.ng/2024/01/02/power-outage-hits-rivers-over-collapsed-poles/
Stakeholders Raise Concerns Over Electricity Tariff Subsidy
Stakeholders have raised fresh concerns over the Nigerian government’s long-standing practice of subsidising electricity tariffs, insisting that it poses financial strain and that concerns about the unequal distribution of benefits may create more challenges in the sector.
While the Federal Government introduced the Service Tariff (SBT) in 2020 to phase out electricity subsidies due to the strain on government finances, between 2015 and 2020, the electricity tariff shortfall reached about N2.4 trillion, averaging N200 billion yearly.
In 2022 alone, over N600 billion was paid in subsidies, with projections indicating a potential increase to at least N1 trillion in 2024.
The Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) rolled out the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO) in 2022 to gradually phase out subsidies.
However, the government’s decision to freeze tariff reviews in July 2023 disrupted this plan, leading to a spike in the electricity tariff shortfall.
https://guardian.ng/energy/stakeholders-raise-concerns-over-electricity-tariff-subsidy/
FG May Implement Electricity Tariff Hike, Subsidise Vulnerable Citizens
Nigeria is currently reviewing cost reflective tariff in the power sector, a development that may see increase in end-user even as the Federal Government said subsidy would be paid for vulnerable citizens.
While Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) said there wouldn’t be increase in tariff starting January 1, 2024, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, who admitted that the country needs cost reflective tariff noted that the Federal Government is working on implementing the plan.
Recall that the Federal Government had delayed the plan from July last year, there were indications from the distribution companies that the increase was imminent nationwide. This comes amid about N350 billion subsidy budget for electricity in the 2024 appropriations.
Amid rising vandalism of critical electricity infrastructure and energy theft, Adelabu said in a new year message that the country would deploy more renewable energy this year to address electricity challenges in the country.
“Our primary focus is enhancing distribution and transmission infrastructure to minimise technical and commercial losses. The lack of liquidity continues to be a significant challenge in the electricity market.
https://guardian.ng/news/fg-may-implement-electricity-tariff-hike-subsidise-vulnerable-citizens/
2024: Adelabu Reveals Only Challenge to Tinubu’s Electricity Turnaround Agenda
Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu has expressed readiness to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s electricity turnaround agenda for Nigeria this New Year and beyond.
Adelabu, however, revealed that the lack of liquidity remains a significant challenge in the electricity market.
Recall that Tinubu had highlighted electricity as a top priority during his New Year broadcast to Nigerians.
Speaking on the developments, Adelabu, in a series of tweets via his X account on Monday, promised that his Ministry has reactivated the Presidential Power Initiative (Siemens Project) to strengthen the national grid in order to improve transmission infrastructure in the country.
He also noted that the Ministry will intervene in distribution infrastructure, supplying transformers to communities without burdening citizens financially.
According to him, “In his New Year broadcast, HE President Bola Ahmed Tinubu @officialABAT highlighted electricity as a top priority. We, at the Ministry of Power, stand ready to steadfastly support the Electricity Turnaround Agenda outlined by the President.
Minister Reiterates FG’s Commitment to Prioritise Electricity in 2024
The Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, has reassured Nigerians of his ministry’s commitment to prioritize electricity supply in the country in 2024.
He said that this was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s electricity turnaround agenda in his New year message.
Mr Bolaji Tunji, Special Adviser, Communication and Strategy to the Minister of Power, said this in a statement in Abuja on Monday.
Tunji quoted the minister as saying that the ministry, agencies and Electricity Distribution Company (DisCos) worked tirelessly during the yuletide to enhance power supply, adding that it was a positive improvement.
”In recognising the critical role of electricity in economic growth, the initial three months of my assumption of office I focused on diagnosis, stakeholders’ consultation, and strategy formulation.
”With a well-documented implementation plan, it is now time to take decisive action.
“Our primary focus is enhancing distribution and transmission infrastructure to minimise technical and commercial losses,” he said.
https://championnews.com.ng/minister-reiterates-fgs-commitment-to-prioritise-electricity-in-2024/
‘Electricity Is Fundamental to Quality of Life’: The Man Bringing Off-Grid, Pay-As-You-Go Power to Africa
In the next four years, British entrepreneur Mansoor Hamayun expects to connect 36 million people to an electricity source, many for the first time. It is an ambition that would see his clean energy company, Bboxx, expand its reach tenfold across sub-Saharan Africa.
The London-headquartered company has grown from an idealistic startup with hopes of transforming the lives of African households to a company offering pay-as-you-go solar power, batteries, smartphones and electric motorbikes to about 3.6 million people across Africa in little more than a decade. Now, a $100m (£78m) investment from EnerTech, a Kuwait-based investor, is about to spur its fastest growth yet.
“Bboxx will turbocharge the impact we have on communities across sub-Saharan Africa,” Hamayun says. “Our shared vision is to transform the lives and livelihoods of our customers by giving them access to clean and affordable energy, clean cooking, e-mobility and technology like smartphones, that genuinely unlock their potential, day by day.”
Egypt Raises Electricity Prices by Up to 26% in Bid to Curb Subsidies
Egypt’s Ministry of Electricity announced a 16% to 26% increase in electricity tariffs starting January 2nd, marking the latest step in the government’s gradual removal of power subsidies.
The move, reflected in February’s electricity bills, comes after a three-year delay in the government’s initial plan to fully eliminate subsidies by July 2022. As before, the price hike is tiered based on household consumption.
The revised pricing structure for households is as follows:
0-50 kWh: EGP 0.58 per kWh (up from EGP 0.48)
51-100 kWh: EGP 0.68 per kWh (up from EGP 0.58)
101-200 kWh: EGP 0.83 per kWh (up from EGP 0.77)
201-350 kWh: EGP 1.25 per kWh (up from EGP 1.06)
351-650 kWh: EGP 1.40 per kWh (up from EGP 1.28)
651-1000 kWh: EGP 1.50 per kWh (up from EGP 1.40)
1000+ kWh: EGP 1.65 per kWh (up from EGP 1.45)
The government said it aims to achieve energy efficiency, encourage responsible consumption, and boost resources for the electricity sector through the price hike.
