By Constance Athekame
The federal government of Nigeria has reiterated its commitment to ensure efficient power supply industry that will guarantee adequate, reliable and affordable electricity for Nigerians.
Mr. Sanusi Garba, Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) said this on Wednesday in Abuja at a one-day workshop for media.
The workshop was organised by the NERC in collaboration with the Power Sector Recovery Operation (PSRO) Secretariat.
Garba said that the federal government initiated the Power Sector Recovery Plan (PSRP) with the support of the World Bank to achieve the goal of Nigerians having access to adequate, reliable and affordable electricity in Nigeria.
“Notwithstanding the power supply industry is now private sector driven, its relevance to economic growth and industrial development will require strategic government interventions.
“At this developmental stage, the industry’s challenges require that all hands be on the deck to achieve an efficient and effective power supply industry that we desire for our economic development,” he said.
Garba listed the objectives of the PSRP to include the power sector’s financial viability, improve electricity supply reliability to meet the growing demand.
Others, he said were to strengthen the sector’s institutional framework, implement policies that promote and encourage investors’ confidence and institutionalise a contract-based electricity industry.
According to him, one of the policy interventions of the Federal Government is the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP), adding that about one million meters were installed at Phase Zero of the NMMP.
Garba added that phase one of the NMMP, which envisages the installation of four million meters would start as soon as the procurement process is concluded.
The chairman also said that Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) had submitted performance improvement plans to NERC.
He said that the plans would commit the DisCos to certain minimum service delivery levels and progressive improvement in service quality and standards.
The NERC chairman at the workshop also inaugurated the PSRP website- www.psrp.org.ng where the public, including the media, can get the latest update on the PSRP implementation
Mr Belije Madu of PSRP Secretariat while giving an overview and update of the programme said that measures to ensure supply of minimum of 4,500 MegaWatts(MW)/hour of electricity to the distribution grid from 2022 was ongoing.
Madu said that the 4,500MW/hour was the minimum level of supply necessary for grid stability and the reduction of system outages.
“The PSRP helps address the constraints in the distribution segment via the implementation of the performance improvement plans.
“PSRP will assures the receipt of revenue requirements by power sector companies which is essential to breaking the vicious cycle of poor sector financial performance,” he said.
