By Etuka Sunday
The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo has announced that the effective date for the take-off of all contractual obligation precedent at this point in time in the nation’s fledging electricity market has been fixed for January 1st, 2015, as the date for the declaration of Transition Electricity Market (TEM).
A statement by the Deputy Director, Press of the Ministry, Timothy Oyedeji quoted the Minister to have made the disclosure at a stakeholders’ forum yesterday in Abuja.
According to the statement, Nebo said, that the main focus of TEM would be the consummation of all contractual obligations as stipulated in the rules adding that TEM declaration is not the start of the transition, but an attempt to make the market more matured and robust.
He therefore called on all actors to do their beats, just as he promised a level playing ground insisting that Government will not accept any excuse for the inability of all actors to provide Nigerians with uninterrupted power supply.
The Minister disclosed that the Central Bank is ready, hence all market participants should perfect their papers in order to access cheap fund under the Government’s Intervention Initiative.
Professor Nebo also disclosed that Government is determined to radically address the lingering metering-gap existing in the power sector, this, he said will help block leakages thereby making more resources available for investment.
The Minister spoke about the negative impact of vandalism on power generation, saying that he and his counterpart in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources have perfected plans to stem this ugly tide.
He also spoke about plans to increase power generation through access to Gas by plants built under the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP), and enhanced Transmission capacity, he added that Government will also pursue with vigour energy efficiency and conservation initiatives.
The Permanent Secretary, Power, Ambassador Godknows Igali, harps on the Distribution Companies to be more innovative in their load shedding arrangement, he said companies should manage scare resources by shutting out electricity supply in offices at night while homes will have their turn in a day time.
Speaking on behalf of Discos, Ernest Mupaya of Abuja Disco, said that his company has invested heavily in infrastructure aimed at improving service delivery, specially the company now has an integrated payment platform for settlement of bills for improved customers’ interactions.
He said the paltry allocation of 285MW is being consumed at the ratio of 80% for the metropolis and 20% to adjoining States and satellite settlements, he promised that with more energy available to the company, more will be made available to customers.
Abuja Disco, he said has the capacity to use 700MW if available on the National grid, adding that the company is already working with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) that will harness vast solar-powered energy source and other power embedded projects, so that less emphasis will be on the grid.
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