The Federal Government says it is committed to ensuring an efficient power supply industry that will guarantee adequate, reliable and affordable electricity for Nigerians.
Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Sanusi Garba, said this yesterday in Abuja, at a one-day workshop for journalists.
The workshop was organised by the NERC in collaboration with the Power Sector Recovery Operation (PSRO) Secretariat.
Garba said the Federal Government initiated the Power Sector Recovery Plan (PSRP) with the support of the World Bank to achieve the goal of Nigerians having access to adequate, reliable and affordable electricity in the country.
“Notwithstanding the power supply industry is now private sector driven, its relevance to economic growth and industrial development will require strategic government interventions.
“At this developmental stage, the industry’s challenges require that all hands be on the deck to achieve an efficient and effective power supply industry that we desire for our economic development,” he said.
Garba listed the objectives of the PSRP to include the power sector’s financial viability, and to improve electricity supply reliability to meet the growing demand.
Others are to strengthen the sector’s institutional framework, implement policies that promote and encourage investors’ confidence and institutionalise a contract-based electricity industry.
According to him, one of the policy interventions of the Federal Government is the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP), adding that about one million meters were installed at Phase Zero of the NMMP.
Garba said phase one of the NMMP, which envisages the installation of four million meters would start as soon as the procurement process is concluded.
Notwithstanding the power supply industry is now private sector driven, its relevance to economic growth and industrial development will require strategic government interventions.
The chairman also said that electricity distribution companies (DisCos) had submitted performance improvement plans to NERC, which commits them to certain minimum service delivery levels and progressive improvement in service quality and standards.
He also inaugurated the PSRP website- www.psrp.org.ng where the public, including the media, can get the latest update on the PSRP implementation
Belije Madu of the PSRP Secretariat while giving an overview and update of the programme, said measures to ensure supply of a minimum of 4,500 megawatts (MW)/hour of electricity to the distribution grid from 2022 was ongoing.
Madu said the 4,500MW/hour was the minimum level of supply necessary for grid stability and the reduction of system outages.
“The PSRP helps address the constraints in the distribution segment via the implementation of the performance improvement plans.
“PSRP will assure the receipt of revenue requirements by power sector companies, which is essential to breaking the vicious cycle of poor sector financial performance,” he said.
