By Etuka Sunday
Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) yesterday conducted public hearing on the draft Nigerian Electricity Supply and Installations Standards (NESIS) in fulfillment of its mandate to ensure effective technical regulation for reliability and safety in the system.
The Chairman, NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi while speaking at the occasion said the purpose of developing the NESIS was to review, replace and repeal the CAP 106 regulations due to advancement in technology and the restructured power sector in Nigeria in line with Section 98(1) of the EPSR Act, 2005.
Amadi said the action was necessary because it was evidently clear that the CAP 106 regulations have outlived their useful lives, thus are not in tune with current standards and present power system arrangement in the NESI.
He said, “the document which shall guide the operations of the power sector as well as replace the CAP 106 regulations is based on international and local standards.”
According to him, the NESIS regulations have reasonably covered all aspects of engineering practices as it concerns Generation, Transmission, Distribution and Utilisation of electric power in
He said the NESIS was drawn from various Codes and Standards available in the NESI and several International Standards, adding that it was a living document hence would undergo routine reviews to update future development in technology and practices.
He noted however, that there was no gap whatsoever in technical regulation in the NESI as being alleged, saying that the Commission has put in place several regulatory instruments to address technical and safety issues arising from across the electricity supply chain in generation, transmission, distribution and utilization.
Earlier in her remarks, the Commissioner, Engineering, Standards and Safety Division, NERC, Engr. Mary Awolokun said the NESIS was part of an evolving technical document which had once existed as the Electricity Supply and Wiring Regulations CAP 57 of 1958.
She therefore commended the Technical Working Group (TWG) for the enormous work towards the development of the final draft of the NESIS regulations.
