The Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Professor James Momoh, has advised Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and others to deploy more modern technologies and equipment that would enhance their customers’ experience.
Prof. Momoh gave this advice while undertaking a facility tour of AEDC. He also challenged the key stakeholders in the power sector to put an end to the recurring blame game between the transmission company and the DISCOs, as it is not in the best interest of the consumers.
1. The Chairman @NERCNG, Prof James Momoh, on Tuesday, Nov 17, 20, advised the Abuja Electricity Distribution Coy, and other discos to make creative use of franchising and embedded regulation to expand electricity access to remote locations within their coverage areas @bodefadipe pic.twitter.com/2OhhGG75hi
— NERC Nigeria (@NERCNG) November 18, 2020
Responding to the speech made by the CEO of AEDC, Engr. Ernest Mupwaya, the NERC Boss said,
“I have seen everything. First, what I want to say is sustainability; that what he has started must be sustained. We cannot afford to solve old problems with old technologies and expect change or new problems with old technologies and expect change.
“The growing sector called NESI in Nigeria, is becoming a new challenge. And unless we think out of the box, we cannot handle it. And I believe what I have heard this afternoon is daily efforts by AEDC to address the new challenge, whether it is in a short term, medium term or in a long term, using out of the box critical thinking.
“And there are many other DISCOs in the country doing just what it is doing, but today is AEDC’s day and I must concentrate on AEDC. For AEDC, you have shown that our power sector will very soon compete with world class Distribution Companies anywhere. If you doubt it, just look back to what we heard. You are not asking me whether I can recall everything that I heard, but I could try. But I will not keep you busy for nothing but I will surprise you because I know what he has said.”
He went further to posit that, “The challenge of the industry if you ask is both the technical and commercial. If you get the technical right, you concentrate on the commercial; if you get commercial right, you get technical right. So, when you get all of them right, you are an efficient reliable company. And that is the picture he has painted.
“MD, what you have said to us, we only wanted to study our project on interfaces, but we remind you on what else is going on. What else is going on? my colleague has right to know. But I am using this thing to push power through the interface with the TCN and DISCOs. Because for year, there was this blame game. This blame game is my fault, it is your fault; switch your feeder, I switch my feeder; take your transformers, I will take care of my transformer; your relay is not working. This is indirect infighting in the sector. And everybody was casting blames.”
What you should know
- The challenges currently faced by AEDC include ATC&C loss, reconfiguration of the network and revenue collections, especially from the unmetered customers.
- The ongoing National Mass Metering Programme is expected to usher in a better consumer service experience, as consumers are billed for what they have actually utilized.
- Regularly, the NERC boss and his team visit the DISCOs to assess their performance, as well as find out whatever challenges they might be grappling with.
- Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is an independent regulatory body primarily instituted to regulate the tariff of Power Generating companies owned or controlled by the government, as well any other generating company which has a license for power generation and transmission of energy, and distribution of electricity in Nigeria.