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Tag: Ministry of Power

  • NERC Transfers Regulatory Oversight Of Electricity Market To KSERC

    NERC Transfers Regulatory Oversight Of Electricity Market To KSERC

    The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC has transferred regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Kogi State from the Commission to the Kogi State Electricity Regulatory Commission (KSERC).
    The commission said the transfer complies with the amended Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN) and the Electricity Act EA 2023 (Amended).
    This was contained in a statement issued by the commission on Wednesday morning.
    According to the statement, it can be recalled that with the EA 2023, the commission retains the role as a central regulator with regulatory oversight on the inter-state/international generation, transmission, supply, trading, and system operations.
    It noted that the EA also mandates any state that intends to establish and regulate intrastate electricity markets to deliver a formal notification of its processes and requests NERC to transfer regulatory authority over electricity operations in the state to the State Regulator.
    “Based on this, the Government of Kogi State complied with the conditions precedent in the laws, duly notified NERC, and requested for the transfer of regulatory oversight of the intrastate electricity market in Kogi State,” the statement reads.
    “The transfer Order by NERC has the following provisions:
    “Direct Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) to incorporate a subsidiary (AEDC SubCo) to assume responsibilities for intrastate supply and distribution of electricity in Kogi State from AEDC.
    “AEDC shall complete the incorporation of AEDC SubCo within 60 days from 13th September 2024. The subcompany shall apply for and obtain licence for the intrastate supply and distribution of electricity from KSERC, among other directives.
    “All transfers envisaged by this order shall be completed by 12th March 2025.”

  • Subsidy: FG provides solar alternative power to Nigerians

    The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Engr. Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad on Friday, said the Federal Government is providing solar energy alternatives to Nigerians in a bid to cushion the effect of subsidy removal on businesses and households.

    Ahmad, who was speaking after the inspection of REA’s Energizing Economies Initiative (EEI) project in Ayegbaju International Market, Osogbo, said the Federal Government, through REA, is setting up alternative solar energy systems to cater to electricity-underserved Nigerians.

    He also explained that the concept of the EEI project was to provide alternative and clean solar energy to Nigerians, so as to reduce or abolish the use of carbon monoxide petrol-powered generators.

    “We came to our Zonal office in Osun and we decided to do a short inspection of the Energizing Economies Initiative (EEI) that we have in Ayegbaju International Market, Osogbo.

    “We came to see the progress of the work and we are very happy with what we have seen here today.

    “The concept is to see how we can work with the market association and most importantly, work with the state government to scale up solar power supply to the whole market,” he said.

    He said the construction of the solar system at the Ayegbaju Market is about 95 percent completed and that the power generation of the system is targeted at 30kwp.

    He said at the pilot phase now, the solar power electricity is being test run on 48 shops and that in the long run, it would be extended to all the shops in the market.

    He said with the interaction he had with the leadership of the market, shop owners are interested in the solar power project, as an alternative power source to run their operations/shops.

    “What we have seen is the tremendous interest of the market people in the solar energy alternative, especially using it to replace petrol generators, in the face of subsidy removal,” he said.

    He said as a follow up to the inspection and interaction with the market people, he would meet and work with developers, Osun State Government and even the market association, to draw a roadmap of how the project would be sustained and scaled up to cover the entire market.

    He said with the solar system initiative, REA has been able to demonstrate a concept of solar power generation and supply, and that they can now bring in and work with other stakeholders to scale it up to the demand of Nigerians who are unserved and undeserved with electricity.

    “Over 148 sites have been audited directly by REA,” saying “support from partners, such as E-guide and Rockefeller Foundation, will enhance the Energizing Economies Initiative (EEI) project.

    “It is from these sites that Ayegbaju International Market, Osogbo, and Abubakar Gumi Market, Kaduna, were selected to deliver the next phase of EEI projects,” he said.

    He said they are taking into account the lessons learned from phase zero and one of the project initiatives and would use it as a model for sustainable and collaborative projects with state governments and Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos).

    “Once the solar system construction is completed, the State Governments or DisCos, developers, and REA will be able to sit with the Market Associations to sign a multilateral agreement which ensures the long-term viability of the project while ensuring energy access to the markets.

    “These projects will also provide the much-needed relief to businesses in these markets by reducing their dependence on petrol generators while increasing the penetration of renewable energy sources,” he said.