Power supply improves after tariff hike

Electricity generation hits 5074mw
HOURS after an increase in tariff was announced, electricity supply has witnessed a sudden new peak generation. The highest daily nationwide delivery was also achieved on Tuesday.

Stakeholders were unwilling to speak on the link between the new peak of 5074.7mega watts and the Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO), which saw electricity charges rise as high as 43% in some distribution companies.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) however, said yesterday that indeed, a new record peak generation of 5074.7mw was achieved. It also announced that the achievement of the highest maximum daily energy wheeled nationwide of 109, 372MWH.

Assistant General Manager, Public Affairs, Clement Ezeolisah, confirmed the new feats in a statement issued from the System Operator.

Ezeolisah said the new peak generation of 5074.7mw was attained at 9.30pm on Tuesday, while the previous peak generation was 4883.9mw achieved the previous day, on Monday.

“The previous highest maximum daily energy wheeled nationwide was 107,142.32mwh recorded January 26, 2016,” he noted.The Managing Director, System Operation/Market Operation, TCN, Dipak Sarma attributed the twin peak achievements to enhance cooperation among all the power sector stakeholders and concerted efforts by system operators at the National Control Centre and other stations to ensure that all generated power is wheeled to the distribution companies and that there is no stranded power.

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, had on Tuesday expressed optimism that given the various plans under taken by the present administration in the sector, power generation would increase with additional 2000MW by the last quarter of 2016.

Fashola stated this at the Ministry’s budget defence before the Senate Committee on Power and Mines adding that a lot have changed in the management of power in the country, in recent times. Distribution of power is no longer government business, but has been taken over by private companies.

Also, government has privatized power generation, with transmission aspect being managed by Manitoba International of Canada.

The minister said 2016 budget focuses more on the transmission, completion of on-going projects, refurbishing power plants and tackling gas supply issues. If all these, are well addressed, the expected projection would boost electricity generation in the country.

In an interview preparatory to the commencement of the new tariff, Acting Head at NERC, Dr. Tony Akah, told The Guardian that the new tariff would improve the quality and quantity of electricity delivered to customers and provide a fair return on investment for the operators.

Akah listed what he described as the attractions for consumers with the new tariff. He also vowed that it wouldn’t be business as usual for non-performing utilities under the new tariff regime, especially considering that the performance agreement that the new utilities owners had with the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) would now be enforced.

Akah spoke of how the commission is focusing more on compliance monitoring and enforcement to ensure maximum benefits to customers.