Energy
Port Harcourt DisCo begins distribution of 1 million pre-paid meters in 4 states
PHED flagged off the distribution of the pre-paid meters in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers.
The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED), has flagged off the distribution of about 1 million pre-paid meters to customers in its 4 coverage states—Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Rivers.
This was disclosed by Dr. Henry Ajagbawa, Managing Director of the company, during the flag-off ceremony of the exercise in Port Harcourt.
According to NAN, Dr. Ajagbawa said that the metering exercise, which would be done in phases, is expected to close the company’s metering gap of over 851,000 in its coverage states.
This is a drive towards achieving the objective of the National Mass Metering Programme (NIMMP) launched by the Federal Government.
Optics: The National Mass Metering Programme (NIMMP) stresses the need to close the nation’s metering gap.
This is in a bid to bring about the efficiency of revenue collection by Distribution Companies (DisCos), thereby enabling them to meet their obligations towards other upstream market participants.
READ: Power: Distribution of meters resumes in Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna and others
What they are saying
The Managing Director of the company, while speaking at the flag-off ceremony of the exercise, said: “The mass metering exercise will begin in Rivers state, followed by Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Cross Rivers until every single customer is metered, and the exercise is going to be done in phases, and we are starting with phase zero with the deployment of 77,000 metres to homes and offices in Rivers. Thereafter, we will move to phase one of the mass metering of customers across our franchise area.”
He revealed that the company had plans for customers using obsolete meters.
“Aside our metering gap of 851,000 meters, we need another 100,000 meters to replace other metres. So, we need a total of about one million meters. In addition, we expect that we should be able to install a minimum of 20,000 meters per month, meaning that it will take us about three years to meter the four states.
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“On completion of the exercise within the shortest possible time, customers will no longer have complaints of the estimated bill. However, customers should prepare to change their old habits by managing their electricity to enable them to afford their energy consumption,” he added.
What you should know
The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) joined the league of DisCos that have taken serious steps towards achieving the goal of closing the metering gap in the National Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
READ: COVID-19: Why banks would rather donate billions to FG than credit their customers’ accounts
Recall that Nairametrics earlier reported that Ikeja Electric had commenced the rollout of pre-paid meters under the National Mass Metering Programme.
In line with this programme, Ikeja Electric Plc (IE) stated that it was committed to driving the rollout through a series of one-day metering initiatives across different locations in its network.
READ: DisCos earn N473 billion in 2019, reveal reason for metering gap
The metering initiative is designed to ensure a seamless metering process that allows customers to register and be metered on the same day after following due process.
Energy
FG delivers 100 KWP Solar Mini-Grid to serve off-grid community in Ogun State
The REA has delivered 100kWp Solar Hybrid Mini-Grid designed to adequately serve off-grid community in Ogun state.
In a bid to provide remote communities with clean and affordable energy, the Rural Electrification Agency under the aegis of the Federal Ministry of Power has delivered 100kWp Solar Hybrid Mini-Grid designed to adequately serve off-grid community in Ogun state.
This was disclosed by the agency in a tweet which was issued via its official Twitter handle today.
#PoweringOlooji – Today, the 26th of Nov, 2020, it was the turn of the indigenes of Olooji community, Ijebu-East, Ogun state. We delivered a 100kWp Wolar Hybrid Mini-Grid designed to adequately serve this off-grid community in Ogun state. pic.twitter.com/i2tT3gGVU4
— REA Nigeria (@realREANigeria) November 26, 2020
The Rural Electrification Agency disclosed that the intervention of the Solar Hybrid Mini-Grid to the community was successfully delivered under Rural Electrification Fund (REF).
The Executive Director, REF, Sanusi Ohiare encouraged the indigenes to optimise the impact of this intervention while using this access to clean, safe and reliable energy productively.
However, the Managing Director of Rural Electrification Agency, Mr. Ahmad Salihjo, while sharing his remarks, explained to the community members that he strongly believes that the quality of lives will be improved and children will have better learning experiences with access to reliable electricity in Olooji community.
Mr. Ahmad commended the community for their cooperation with the REA team and the Mini-Grid developer Acob Lighting Technology Limited.
What you should know
Recall that Nairametrics reported on November 12, 2020, that the Federal Government through its implementing Agency, Rural Electrification Agency (REA), commissioned a 100KW solar hybrid mini-grid power plant in Ebonyi State.
The Agency disclosed that the completed project is in line with the government’s mandate, as the present administration seeks to provide remote communities with clean and affordable energy, through strategic investment in the deployment of Mini-grid systems that will provide power for 5 million homes in 2021.
Energy
President Buhari calls for alignment of capacity, attraction of investments across power sector
President Buhari has called for the alignment of capacity and attraction of investments across components of the Power Sector’s value chain.
President Muhammadu Buhari has called for the alignment of capacity and attraction of investments across the generation, transmission and distribution components of the Power Sector’s value chain.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Power, Engr Salam Mamman, who represented the President, in a speech read at the launch of Eko Electricity DisCo’s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system in Lagos on Thursday.
He said, “We must ensure that there is an alignment of capacity and attraction of investments across the generation, transmission and distribution components of the Power Sector’s value chain.
“I acknowledge the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) financial support towards this project through the Nigeria Electricity Market Stabilization Facility granted in 2015. This facility significantly led to the successful completion of this project.
“My administration remains committed to addressing the liquidity challenges which are adversely affecting the Power sector’s viability. We have noted with grave concern: The increased fiscal burden on the Federal Government (FG) occasioned by the tariff shortfalls in the sector which are no longer sustainable.”
Bottom line
It is obvious that the CBN’s Payment Assurance Facility (CBN PAF) targeted at supporting tariff shortfalls can no longer be extended and must be phased out to allow the sector’s financial independence.
The government is also aware that these tariff shortfalls sit on DisCos’ books and impair their ability to raise capital and invest.
Hon. MIN. OF POWER @EngrSMamman REPRESENTS PRESIDENT @MBuhari IN LAGOS AT THE LAUNCH OF @EKEDP COMPANY'S SCADA SYSTEM.
SPEECH BELOW👇📖
ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, PRESIDENT @MBuhari, AT @EKEDP PLC’S OFFICIAL
Cc: @NigeriaGov pic.twitter.com/uJONj2qyjl
— Office of the Minister of Power (@PowerMinNigeria) November 26, 2020
Energy
FG to begin online registration, monitoring of petrol stations, depots
The DPR has stated that it will commence the remote monitoring, registration, and accreditation of all petroleum products depots.
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has revealed that it plans to automate and begin remote monitoring, registration, and accreditation of petroleum products depots, retail outlets, and the entire downstream oil and gas industry, with the launch of the newly established Downstream Remote Monitoring Systems (DRMS).
While disclosing a statement in Abuja, the Head, Public Affairs of the DPR, Paul Osu, pointed out that the newly established Downstream Remote Monitoring Systems is expected to take off on December 1, 2020, after the launch in Abuja.
READ: Nigeria’s 5,000 BPD refinery will produce 271 million liters of petrol every year
According to a report by Vanguard, Osu explained that the DRMS is a web-based solution designed to provide intelligent regulatory and inventory management system for petroleum products supply and distribution from depot to retail outlets and also as a regulatory tool to monitor retail outlets and depot activities.
He said, “Other features of the application include retail outlets accreditation and re-registration, nationwide automated product inventory management, retail outlets coordinate recording for mapping purposes and transactions management and report generation of dealers nationwide.
READ: NNPC says local operators must improve capacity to achieve low cost of oil production
“The establishment of DRMS is another strategic initiative of DPR to continue to create opportunities and enable business in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.”
It can be recalled that the DPR had a few months ago, launched the National Production Monitoring System (NPMS), another online platform to assist the oil and gas regulator accurately monitor national crude oil production and exports, through the provision of a system for direct and independent acquisition of production data from oil and gas facilities in Nigeria
READ: House of Reps summon Emefiele, NNPC GMD over unremitted N3.24 trillion
This is to ensure timely and accurate reporting of production figures and export data. This is also expected to guard against the crude oil theft that is prevalent in Nigeria’s upstream oil sector or reported cases of crude oil that is sold but unaccounted for.
The NPMS is an initiative that is developed as a replacement for the current paper-based report and ensures ready production reporting to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and other agencies.
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