Power Sector News And Other Related Stories For Wednesday 3rd August 2022
Power Generation Drops 6.4% to 3,675MW
The relative recovery recorded in electricity generation in the country in the middle July appears to have been reversed as recent data has shown significant declines.
Vanguard’s findings from the data in the National System Operator, NSO, a unit at the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, shows that Nigeria’s power generation dropped by 6.4 per cent to 3,675.40 megawatts, MW, from 3,926.8MW recorded early last week.
The output had peaked at 4,102.70MW on July 8, 2022, and maintained short-lived stability around 3,800MW up till previous week.
Efforts of the sector regulator, the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, to sustain stability in the power sector have largely failed as several legacy issues, especially poor infrastructure and lack of fresh investments, remain unresolved.
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/08/power-generation-drops-6-4-to-3675mw/
Electricity Market Recorded N512bn Deficit in 2020 —NERC Reports
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, yesterday, reported that of the combined invoices of N882.73 billion for energy and administrative services issued by Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc, NBET, and Market Operator, MO, only a total of N370.34 billion was settled as and when due by electricity distribution companies, DisCos, creating a total deficit of N512.39 billion (including tariff shortfall) in 2020.
The commission, in its Annual Reports and Accounts published on its website, said a comparative analysis of market invoice and remittance performance by DisCos in 2020 represented an average settlement rate per DisCo of 41.95 percent of the invoice.
This represented significant progress (+6.08 percentage points) when compared to the average settlement rate of 35.87 percent recorded in 2019. Ikeja and Yola DisCos had the highest and lowest settlement rates of 54.03 percent and 16.83 percent respectively in 2020.
Osun NSCDC Partners IBEDC Against Energy Theft, Vandalism
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Osun State Command, yesterday, expressed readiness to collaborate with Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), to tackle and forestall energy theft and vandalisation of infrastructure in the nation’s power sector.
The state’s commandant, Sunday Agboola, who disclosed this after meeting with officials of Osun IBEDC region, said energy theft and vandalism were partly responsible for losses and liquidity challenges that are bedeviling the power sector.
He said it was not going to be business as usual for vandals and their cohorts as the Command was ready to put a stop to their crimes.
While welcoming the Executives of IBEDC to the State Headquarters in Osogbo, Agboola declared the Command’s readiness to combat energy theft and vandalism in the state and reiterated the importance of taking concerted efforts to achieve positive impact in the fight against vandals.
https://guardian.ng/news/osun-nscdc-partners-ibedc-against-energy-theft-vandalism/
Discos Accuse FG of Reneging on N100bn Electricity Subsidy
Electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) have reacted officially to the takeover/restructuring of five Discos by the Federal Government through the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), describing the move as a backdoor renationalisation of the power firms.
They claimed that investors in the 11 Discos were shortchanged by BPE when the facilities were privatised in November 2013, while the government had failed to pay the N100bn subsidy on electricity since the privatisation of the sector.
Speaking under the aegis of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), an umbrella body for the power firms, the Discos expressed concern about the restructuring of the five companies as announced by BPE on July 5, 2022, in collaboration with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
The Federal Government, through BPE, had announced the planned takeover of Kano, Benin and Kaduna electricity distribution companies by Fidelity Bank Plc after the bank initiated action to take over the boards of the three Discos.
It also announced that with the takeover of Ibadan Disco by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, the Bureau had obtained approval from NERC to appoint an interim Managing Director for the distressed power firm.
Schneider Partners Ikeja Electric to Improve Electricity Distribution in Lagos, Ogun
SCHNEIDER Electric has partnered Ikeja Electric to improve electricity distribution in its network in Lagos and Ogun states.
The collaboration between both companies would address common problems faced by electricity distribution companies in the country, namely the lack of traceability when faults occur on the network, leading to extended period of outages.
Vanguard gathered that Schneider will set up a digitized grid, starting with smart transformers.
Speaking on the partnership in Lagos, Ikeja Electric, Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Folake Soetan, said: “This partnership exemplifies Ikeja Electric’s desire to leverage innovation and technology to improve customer experience, so it is driven largely with interest of customers at the heart of our business.
“We are delighted to partner with Schneider Electric on this project as it becomes imperative that we adopt a more strategic approach in managing our network.
Experts Canvass for Nigeria’s Nuclear Energy Devt
Energy experts have reviewed challenges in meeting Nigeria’s rising energy demands and made strong case for the adoption of nuclear energy.
Speaking at a ‘Power Dialogue’ organized by The Electricity Hub (TEH), a subsidiary of The Nextier Group, in collaboration with the Heinrich Böll Foundation, in Abuja, the experts opined that given its potential for ensuring energy independence, extensive research should be conducted on its development cost alongside the technological and environmental implications of the energy source.
The experts, included Emeka Okpukpara, Partner, The Nextier Group; Sam Amadi, Director Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts; Mycle Schneider, Coordinator and Publisher, World Nuclear Industry Status Report, Ifeoma Malo, Co-founder/CTO, Clean Technology Hub Nigeria, and Abdullahi Mati, Director, Nuclear Power Plant Devt. Programme, Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission.
With the current irregular power supply and constant collapse of the national grid, the experts believe that Nigeria must diversify its energy source by exploring the potential of nuclear power to tackle its vast electricity deficit and against the backdrop of its recent commitment to net-zero emissions by 2060.
https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/08/02/experts-canvass-for-nigerias-nuclear-energy-devt/
30% Increase in Electricity Bills Due to Higher Consumption in Egypt
Egyptian electricity consumers received the highest power bills this year due to the increased consumption of mainly ACs and fans, due to the high temperatures.
Informed sources told Daily News Egypt that the consumption bills for July increased by 17-30% due to the increase in citizens’ consumption. The governorates of Giza, Cairo, and Alexandria had the highest rates in the household sector.
The electricity prices did not rise this fiscal year, as per the instructions of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, but with the rise in temperatures, citizens tend to use more than one fan or AC for over 10 hours per day, and thus consumption increases and electricity bills follow, according to Khaled El-Dastawy, from the Egyptian Electricity Holding Company (EEHC).
Electricity consumption meters are read by a private company in accordance with an agreement concluded with the EEHC. There is also a mobile application and a website to report meter readings and calculate the monthly consumption.
Electricity distribution companies suffer from a decline in the rates of collecting consumption bills in July due to many citizens being away for summer vacations, making it difficult to collect bills.
Qatar Extends Gulf Electricity System to Iraq Network
The Qatar Fund for Development has signed a deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority to build and connect the regional electrical system to the southern Iraq network.
According to a Doha News report, the extension of electricity connection to Iraq will help to combat chronic power outages in the country.
The deal will see the establishment of a new 400 KV transformer substation in the Wafra district of Kuwait, and it will be linked to the Gulf power interconnection system and the Iraqi electricity network via Al-Faw electricity transformer station in southern Iraq.
“This initiative will have a pivotal role in the economic contribution and infrastructure development,” said Khalifa bin Jassim Al Kuwari, director general of Qatar Fund for Development.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2135196/business-economy
