Power Sector News and Other Related News Stories For Thursday September 15th 2022
DisCos Yet to Meter Five Million Registered Customers
The 11 electricity distribution companies are yet to meter over five million customers registered under their networks.
Data provided by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, and verified by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, NBS, said of a total of 10.515m registered customers, only 4.773m had been metered as of December 2021.
A breakdown of the statistics from the NBS’ ‘2021 DisCos Electricity Report’ showed that
Abuja DisCo, also known as AEDC, had a total of 1.125m registered customers as of the year under review.
https://punchng.com/discos-yet-to-meter-five-million-registered-customers/
Ikeja Electric Moves Against Energy Theft, Seeks Community Support
Ikeja Electric is soliciting the support of stakeholders in tackling the issues within its network.
Felix Ofulue, Head Corporate Communications, Ikeja Electric, while speaking to a gathering of Community Media Publishers, said the alarming cases of illegal connections, meter bypass, apathy to payment of electricity bills and vandalism have been on a steady rise recently.
He narrated instances where customers using prepaid meters connive with electricians to bypass meters with the aim of evading payment for energy consumed.
https://independent.ng/ikeja-electric-moves-against-energy-theft-seeks-community-support/
EKEDC Reassures Lagos Island, Others of Improved Services
Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) has met the Lagos Islands district and its environment as part of its strategic engagement with customers under its franchise network.
The forum, held recently, was attended by residents of Lagos Island, Victoria Island and Ikoyi environs.
Godwin Idemudia, the EKEDC General Manager, Corporate Communications, said: “The Island District is strategic to our business, hence the importance of the engagement forum to help the management to identify areas of improving power supply to the customers.”
https://independent.ng/ekedc-reassures-lagos-island-others-of-improved-services/
9 Years After Privatisation, GenCos, DisCos ‘Incapacitated’ to Run Power Sector – Employees
The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has expressed concern over the deterioration of the power sector amidst harsh economic conditions in the country.
The union decried that privatization of the power sector has not added any value to the lives of ordinary Nigerians noting that the whole exercise was a charade that failed to bring any meaningful impact to the sector.
In a press release signed yesterday, NUEE Zonal Organising Secretary, Engr A. S. Kolawale Ayodele, described the exercise as one that subjected Nigeria to a huge setback.
No Capacity Expansion Attempt by Gencos, Discos –NUEE
The National Union of Electricity Employees, on Wednesday, decried the stagnancy in Nigeria’s power sector since November 2013 after it was officially unbundled and sold to private sector investors.
It stated that there had been no visible attempts by the successor power generation and distribution companies to expand their capacities and networks since taking over the companies unbundled from the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria.
The Zonal Organising Secretary, NUEE Abuja, Ayodele Kolade, told journalists at a press briefing that it was an undeniable truth that the power sector privatisation had not added value to the lives of the ordinary Nigerians.
He said, “The entire exercise, which could be described as a charade, has not brought any meaningful impact/improvement on the sector, rather, it has led the nation to a huge set back.
https://punchng.com/no-capacity-expansion-attempt-by-gencos-discos-nuee/
Electricity Workers Demand Reversal of Power Sector Privatisation
The National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, on Wednesday, urged the Federal Government to reverse the privatization of the nation’s power sector, describing new owners of the privatised companies as ‘hustlers’ and ‘hawks’ that have contributed poorly to the power sector.
This body also accused the new owners of deceiving the Federal Government into paying N2 trillion subvention, insisting that they have continued to impoverish Nigerians, leaving the country pillaged.
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=rm&ogbl#inbox/FMfcgzGqQckHFHTvbCschbFwKPllnHxL
Electricity Workers Threaten to Resume Strike if Govt Fails to Meet Demands
Nigerian electricity workers say they will resume their suspended strike if the government-appointed committee to look into their demands continues to dither.
They also condemned the previous privitisation exercise of the Federal government urging it to watch out for those they term ‘Hustlers’ in the sector.
Since the privitisation of the nation’s power sector in 2013, electricity workers have been up in arms with the government over alleged inappropriate processes.
Nine years after, the workers lament the exercise has not added value to the lives of the ordinary Nigerians.
They also worry that in spite of the improvement in the wheeling capacity of the Transmission Company of Nigeria to over 7000 megawatts, the generation output has dwindled to well below 5000 megawatts.
REA, Others to Generate 1, 000MW Solar Energy for Wuse Market
The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has partnered with Green Village Electricity (GVE), Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, (AEDC) and Wuse Market Traders Association, (WUMATA) to provide 1, 000MegaWatt of solar power to the market.
Speaking during the inspection of the project, the CEO of GVE, a solar energy company, Ifeanyi Orajaka said the project which is targeted to be completed by the end of the year, the 1MW system which will fully take the market completely off generators.
https://dailytrust.com/rea-others-to-generate-1-000mw-solar-energy-for-wuse-market
Nigeria Signs €25 Million Agreement with France to Improve Electricity Supply
The Nigerian government and the French Development Agency (AFD) have signed a grant agreement of €25 million for the Northern Corridor Project jointly funded by the European Union and the AFD. The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, and the AFD Country Director in Nigeria, Xavier Muron, signed the agreement Wednesday in the presence of the Ambassador of France to Nigeria, Emmanuelle Blatmann, and the Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Cecile TASSIN-PELZER.
The Northern Corridor Project, being implemented by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), is meant to strengthen low-carbon economic growth in West Africa by improving the quality of the electricity network in Nigeria and supporting the development of a regional electricity market under the West African Power Pool (WAPP).
Firm Supports Local Smart Meter Production, Electricity Access
PPC Limited has said it is supporting the local production of smart meters through the supply of accessories in the drive to ensure widespread access to electricity in Nigeria.
PPC through its partnership with prepaid meter producers in Nigeria, has facilitated the installation of about 3,000 smart meters to households and electricity consumers.
The company whose factory at Ojota, Lagos State produces high-quality wire sets for prepaid meters, is driving the quick roll-out of prepaid meters to electricity consumers in the country.
The company aims to increase the share of local components in energy meters as required by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, by supporting local manufacturing capacity of Meter Service Providers.
https://punchng.com/firm-supports-local-smart-meter-production-electricity-access/
The Tech Behind Energy Efficiency in Modern Homes
Everyone has a responsibility to act more sustainably and limit the potential for irreversible damage to our planet. One of the most accessible ways to achieve this is to adopt energy-efficient measures in the home.
The less energy is wasted, the less pressure there is on finite fuel resources. This also means power plants could generate lower levels of harmful emissions.
The good news is that there are various effective and accessible tools homeowners can use to reduce excessive energy consumption. Some of these are simple measures, such as sealants for doors and windows to reduce energy leaks. But it is the technological solutions, like energy-efficient lighting systems and environmentally sustainable appliances that tend to make a significant impact.
https://techeconomy.ng/2022/09/the-tech-behind-energy-efficiency-in-modern-homes/
Government to Discontinue Tax on Electricity
The Grenada government said on Tuesday it had taken a decision to discontinue the 25 per cent non-fuel charge associated with electricity supply by the island’s lone power company.
Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Dickon Mitchell said the company had been losing “significant revenue” because of the measure.
Speaking at the weekly post-Cabinet news conference, Mitchell told reporters that the state-owned Grenada Electricity Company (GRENLEC) had accumulated EC $16 million (U.S. $5.925 million) in losses as of September 12.
The initiative had been put in place by the previous administration to cushion the impact of increased global energy prices.
“That has had a very negative impact on the cash flow of GRENLEC, and on its ability to meet its commitments as they fall due,” the prime minister said. “In the circumstances, this particular aspect of the stimulus package, as difficult as the decision is, is not sustainable.”
Mitchell said his administration cannot risk jeopardising the financial stability of the electricity company continuing with this part of the stimulus package.
https://www.nationnews.com/2022/09/14/government-discontinue-tax-electricity/
