Power Sector News And Other Related Stories For Wednesday 17th August 2022
Power Generation Falls by 503MW, Workers Threaten Strike
Nigeria’s power generation dropped by 502.7 megawatts on Tuesday as members of the National Union of Electricity Employees and their counterparts in the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies grounded the nationwide operations of the Transmission Company of Nigeria the same day.
It was observed that power generation on the national grid recorded an off-peak of 2,551.7MW on Monday and rose to a peak of 4,688.6MW the same day, but this dropped to 4,185.9MW as at 6am on Tuesday.
Also on Tuesday, members of NUEE and SSAEAC picketed the offices of TCN nationwide, shutting down operations at the facilities and threatening to begin an indefinite strike from today (Wednesday).
Speaking during the protest at the headquarters of TCN in the Federal Capital Territory, the NUEE Secretary in charge of Abuja, Niger, Nasarawa and Kogi Liaison Office, Kolade Ayodele, said TCN’s board, which had the power minister as member, had reneged on agreements reached with the unions.
https://punchng.com/power-generation-falls-by-503mw-workers-threaten-strike/
Total Blackout Imminent Today Despite NERC Tariff, Market Contracts
Nationwide darkness may hit Nigeria today as electricity workers at the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) threaten strike action.
This is at the detriment of already signed contracts between the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the 11 distribution and generation companies.
The development, linked to a disagreement over promotion interviews for staff, will cause shortchange of consumers, who are currently being billed under the terms of NERC’s Service Based Tariff (SBT).
In September 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari vigorously defended an increase in electricity tariff tagged SBT, stressing that it is the only gateway to improving power supply to the masses. Under the plan, the higher the hour of supply a consumer enjoys, the higher his or her per kilowatt of electricity.
https://guardian.ng/news/total-blackout-imminent-today-despite-nerc-tariff-market-contracts/
DisCos Takeover: BEDC MD Osibodu Arrested, Alleges Threat to Life
The embattled Managing Direction of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) Plc, Mrs. Funke Osibodu, has raised the alarm over alleged threat to her life, following her arrest by police operatives, over alleged trespass of the company’s premises.
Osibodu who who disclosed this to journalists in Benin on Tuesday, confirmed that she was forcefully arrested and taken to the State Police Command headquarters.
She disclosed that some armed policemen broke into her office at the company’s head office in Benin City, Edo State.
The development is not unconnected with the takeover of the energy distribution company by the federal government.
The BEDC boss who insisted that a valid court order dated 8 July, 2022, restrained Fidelity Bank, one Henry Ajagbawa and the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Bureau of Public Enterprise and others from taking over BEDC management.
Benin DisCo Says Forceful Takeover Causing Company Monthly Loss of N750 Million
The restructuring and forceful take-over of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) Plc has led to a monthly loss of N750 million.
This was disclosed in a press briefing by Mrs Funke Osibudu, the Managing Director of BEDC, in Benin on Tuesday following her reported arrest by the Police over the leadership tussle in the company, according to NAN.
This comes after, Dr Henry Ajagbawa, had on July 8, taken over the management of the electricity company as the new managing director.
Osibudu said there was a court order barring Ajagbawa and his group from taking over the BEDC, which made her return to office. She said that despite the order, Ajagbawa still brought police from Abuja to obstruct the company’s operation and intimidated her.
TCN Begs Electricity Workers to Shelve Planned Strike
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has appealed to electricity workers to suspend their proposed strike over “staff welfare”.
Managing director, TCN, Sule Abdulaziz, made the appeal in a letter addressed to the workers yesterday.
The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) had directed its members to picket the offices of TCN yesterday, after which a strike action would commence today.
But in the letter, Abdulaziz asked the union to “stay action”, assuring that TCN had taken steps to resolve the issues.
“We are pleased to inform you that management has suspended the proposed interview for those on acting appointment of assistant general, managers and general managers while we conclude discussion with the board,” the letter reads.
“On the other two issues — circular from the office of head of service on stigmatisation of the defunct PHCN staff and payment of entitlement of ex-PHCN staff by market operator — the management has contacted the honourable minister of power for his further action.
https://leadership.ng/tcn-begs-electricity-workers-to-shelve-planned-strike/
Nigeria Electricity Workers Hold Protest, Set for Strike
Members of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) have held a protest, accusing the government of failing to address staff welfare issues.
The workers converged at the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) headquarters in Abuja early Tuesday, and the group said its members will withdraw their services on Wednesday. The strike is bound to worsen Nigeria’s electricity problems.
The NUEE in a notice signed by the general secretary, Joe Ajaero, urged its members to comply with the directive and stop work from August 17.
The union issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of TCN on May 18, threatening to down tools if its complaints were not resolved.
The notice seen by PREMIUM TIMES complained about a TCN directive for some classes of staff to appear for interviews for promotion.
“You are hereby enjoined to mobilise immediately for serious picketing of TCN Headquarters and Stations nationwide over the directive by the TCN Board that all PMs in acting capacity going to AGM must appear for a promotion interview,” the letter said.
Transmission Company of Nigeria Begs Electricity Workers to Suspend Proposed Strike
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has urged electricity workers to suspend their proposed indefinite strike action.
Dr Sule Abdulaziz, the Managing Director, TCN made the appeal in a letter to the workers after the union in a circular had vowed to cripple operations of TCN nationwide.
The aggrieved workers under the aegis of the national union of electricity employees (NUEE) had slated Wednesday, August 17, to commence indefinite strike action.
Making his appeal in a statement, Dr Abdulaziz said, “We are pleased to inform you that management has suspended the said proposed interview for those on acting appointment of Assistant General Managers and General Managers while we conclude discussion with the board.
“On the other two issues: circular from the office of Head of Service on stigmatisation of the defunct PHCN staff; payment of entitlement of ex-PHCN staff by market operator, the management has contacted the Honourable Minister of Power for his further action.
https://nairametrics.com/2022/08/16/tcn-begs-electricity-workers-to-suspend-proposed-strike/
Electricity Workers’ Strike: You‘Ve End Of Today to Stop Action, Labour Tells Minister
THE Organized Labour in the nation’s Power sector has given the Minister of State for Power, Goddy Jedy-Agba and the management of Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, up till Wednsday to address their demands or workers would commence indefinite strike from as planned.
This followed the appeal to leaders of the organized Labour in the industry under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, to shelve the workers’ strike scheduled to start today and give him two weeks to address their grievances.
The Union is protesting the directive by “the TCN Board that all Principal Managers, PMs, in acting capacity going to Assistant General Managers, AGM, must appear for a promotion interview. This directive is in contravention of our Conditions of Service and Career Progression Paths, and unilaterally done without the relevant Stakeholders.”
Meanwhile, the TCN has announced the suspension of the planned promotional interview which triggered the Union’s reaction.
Nigeria Will Soon Have Proper Lighting with Ergo Solar Innovation – Akpakwu
The CEO of Ergo Renewable Solar Energy, Consul Emmanuel Akpakwu, has said Nigeria will soon have 24/7 steady power with the innovation of Ergo Solar with proper lighting, stressing that inadequate electricity supply is a major concern in the Nigerian economy.
This was even as he advised government parastatals and corporate organisations to invest their resources in advancing electricity in Nigeria through the solar power system of Ergo Solar.
In a statement signed on Monday in Abuja by Akpakwu, who is also Honorary Consul to the Philippines in Lagos, stated that “Our major drive in Ergo solar-LED work and home place lighting is because we do believe this bad lighting in workplaces in Nigeria is also a major contributor to problems Nigerians are facing today ranging from poor reading culture to inadequate productivity of results in the workplace, you can name it.
According to Consul Akpakwu, good lighting in a workplace improves productivity due to increased concentration, focus and staying alert for a longer period. Poor and epileptic lighting can impact the workplace of an employee or a student with lower productivity like visibility in the functional perspective of a workplace and depressive feelings in the psychological and emotional aspect of the workplace.
Electricity Ministry Targets EGP 500m Monthly in EV Charging Fees
The Ministry of Electricity aims to collect EGP 500m per month from charging electric vehicles (cars, buses, and trains), within the government’s direction to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and preserve the environment, according to an official at the Egyptian Electricity Holding Company.
It is expected that these targets will be achieved by two mechanisms: the first is selling electricity to the private sector – the owners of electric vehicle charging units – and getting paid in advance. The second mechanism is to sell electricity directly to EVs, according to an official.
Some power distribution companies have installed EV charging units in cooperation with Infinity E.
The government seeks to operate all transport means in Sharm El-Sheikh on electricity before the climate summit COP27 next November, and it is planned to operate light trains with electric LRT before the end of the year. The speed of a light train is 120 km per hour, and the railway extends at a length of 103.3 km, and it consists of 19 stations.
Include Nuclear Power as Alternative Source of Electricity – Industries
Industries in major sectors of the Ghanaian economy are calling for the inclusion of nuclear power as an alternative source of electricity in the country’s energy mix to support industrial growth and national development.
About 75 per cent of firms from manufacturing, agriculture health, energy, and mining sector said that they were willing to upgrade their capacity to be able to take part in Ghana’s nuclear agenda.
This was found in a baseline nationwide social and economic survey on generating electricity using nuclear technology by the Institute of Statistical Social and Economic Research (ISSER).
The firms were also interested in providing their services to advance the nuclear power agenda in terms of the supply of building materials, electrical installation services as well as civil construction and installation services.
Speaking at the presentation of the findings of the survey in Accra on Tuesday, Dr Simon Bawakyillnuo, ISSER, noted that the introduction of alternative sources of energy into Ghana’s energy mix was the main priority of industries.
He noted that industries wanted the Government to make alternative sources of electricity, including nuclear power as a major priority in the consideration of Ghana’s energy policy in addressing the country’s power sector challenges.
https://newsghana.com.gh/include-nuclear-power-as-alternative-source-of-electricity-industries/
