Power Sector And Other Related News Stories For Tuesday December 19th 2023
Nigerians Brace for Electricity Blackouts as Egbin Station Undergoes Maintenance
There will be an increase in electricity outages in the country as Egbin power station shut down on Monday.
The management of the Transmission Company of Nigeria has said that Egbin Power Station will be shut down for three days starting today on the back of gas pipeline maintenance.
According to the statement seen by BusinessDay, the station was shut down at 11:13 hours on December 18, 2023, to allow the Nigeria Gas Company (NGC) to maintain a linking gas pipeline supplying gas to Egbin Power Station.
Nigeria Records 5.20% Increase in Hydropower Supply in Q3/2023 – NERC
Nigeria recorded a 5.20% increase in hydropower supply in Q3/2023. This is according to data from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
NERC says that in the third quarter of 2023, hydropower contribution rose from 20.29% (1,798.82 GWh) in the second quarter to 25.49% (2,208.47 GWh) in the third quarter.
This increase aligns with what was anticipated for Nigeria’s energy makeup.
Note that during the rainy season, energy generated by hydropower plants tends to increase significantly. This is due to better water availability, allowing hydropower plants to consistently produce electricity.
NERC Q3 Report: FG Incurred N204.59bn Subsidy in Power Sector
Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), has said that the Federal Government incurred a subsidy obligation of N204.59 billion, This was contained in the Commission’s 2023 third quarter report.
According to the document, the subsidy expenses were incurred due to the lack of cost-reflective tariffs across all electricity distribution companies (DisCos).
“It is important to note that due to the absence of cost-reflective tariffs across all DisCos, the government incurred a subsidy obligation of N204.59 billion in 2023/Q3 (average of N68.20 billion per month), which is an increase of N69.37 billion (+51.30 per cent) compared to the 135.23 billion (average of N45.08 billion per month) incurred in 2023/Q2;
https://sunnewsonline.com/nerc-q3-report-fg-incurred-n204-59bn-subsidy-in-power-sector-2/
FG Discloses Amount Paid to IE, Eko DisCo, Others as Subsidy to Supply Electricity in 2023
The Nigerian government said it spent N375.8 billion on electricity subsidies between January and September this year, while consumers paid about N782.6 billion for the commodity in the same period. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) disclosed this on Sunday, December 17, 2023, in Abuja, saying that the government subsidized electricity in this year’s first, second and third quarters.
During the review period, NERC also revealed that power distribution companies charged electricity consumers a total of N1.06 trillion nationwide.
Aba Power Begins Free House Metering Programme in Abia
Aba Power Limited Electric (APLE), an electricity distribution company (DISCO), covering nine Local Government Areas of Abia State, including Aba Metropolis, the commercial hub, has started free mass metering of houses and offices as a way of providing meters for customers in the ring fenced area, who curently do not have meters.
The programme, which is sponsored by Geometric Power Group’s chairman, Bart Nnaji, a professor and former Minister of Power,
is ongoing, starting with towship feeder and will extend to all areas serviced by Aba Power with time, according to Chijioke Ogbodo, the firm’s public relations manager.
https://businessday.ng/news/article/aba-power-begins-free-house-metering-programme-in-abia/
Police Arraign Twins for Allegedly Assaulting EKEDC Staff
The Police in Lagos on Monday arraigned Hassan Nurudeen, 20 and Hussien Nurudeen, 20, at a Badagry Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly assaulting two staff of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC).
The defendants, twin brothers, whose addresses are unknown, are standing trial on a three-count charge of assault, malicious damage and attack.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, ASP Clement Okuoimose, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on Nov. 27, at about 1.35 p.m., at Evangelist Bello David Str. Aradagun, Badagry area of Lagos.
https://guardian.ng/news/police-arraign-twins-for-allegedly-assaulting-ekedc-staff/
