Friday, 29th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search
News  

Reps halt planned review of electricity tariff, summon discos

By Emeka Anuforo and Terhemba Daka, Abuja
07 October 2015   |   6:14 am
The House of Representatives has urged the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to halt the planned upward review of electricity tariff in the country.
Dogara

Dogara

NERC, MAN to boost supply to industrial sector

The House of Representatives has urged the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to halt the planned upward review of electricity tariff in the country.

At its plenary session yesterday, the House also mandated NERC and distribution companies (Disco’s) to immediately begin provision and installation of prepaid meters to every consumer nationwide. The lawmakers summoned the management of the Discos to brief them on the issues to ensure that Nigerians are not shortchanged.

The decision came following adoption of a motion by Solomon Bulus Maren who expressed the need for the House to intervene with a view to stop the impending “unrealistic” upward review of electricity tariff by the Discos.

Maren who represents Mangu/ Bokkos Federal Constituency of Plateau State had raised the alarm on the matter and drawn the attention of his colleagues to a recent call by Discos for a meeting with select consumers in preparation for upward review of electricity tariff.
He argued that the Disco’s have taken over distribution of electricity from the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) for close to two years with nothing added to the sector to warrant increase in tariff.
Maren warned that if not checked, “these unwholesome practices will continue to the detriment of Nigerian masses which will also slow down the development of SMEs which spur industrial development.”

He argued that in many parts of the world electricity tariffs are reducing due to falling oil prices as much of electricity is generated by gas which is a component of crude.
The House had resolved against further collection of flat rates (maintenance fee or service fees) by Discos which were termed illegal and not in tandem with best practices.

Meanwhile, NERC and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria ( MAN) have advanced in a landmark scheme to provide electricity for manufacturing activities.

Top on the agenda is a micro-grid scheme to ensure direct electricity supply to industrial clusters. To further advance their efforts in this regard, both parties yesterday raised a technical team to work out the template for the proposed micro grip scheme.
The team is to develop an electricity micro-grid framework within the next seven days. Both parties are also to reach out to the Presidency to secure special approval for the scheme.

Speaking while commissioning the technical team in Abuja, yesterday, NERC Chairman, Dr. Sam Amadi, stressed the need to enhance industrialization by increasing energy supply to industries.

0 Comments