Buhari commends EKEDC for milestone
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday commissioned the power system’s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) project centre put in place by Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) in Lagos, which he decribed as the first functional SCADA in West Africa.
The centre for SCADA is one of the most advanced technologies in the power distribution business globally, and Buhari declared optimism that the system would translate to improved service delivery to customers within EKEDC’s network.
Represented by the minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, the President said that the commissioning of the “SCADA system will help EKEDC monitor and respond quicker to faults and reduce the outage durations which would improve the quality of service to customers.”
This system, the President continued at the event also attended by the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele; Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Professor James Momoh – who joined via Zoom; Chairmanof EKEDC, Charles Momoh; and Managing Director of the power utility firm, Adeoye Fadebiyi; “will help EKEDC meet its set objectives under the recently executed Service Level Agreements with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). This project wil provide access to real time data that enables distribution system operators to make informed decisions that improve reliability and availability, consistent with the targets of the service-based tariff (SBT) regime.
“I acknowledge the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) financial support towards this project through the Nigeria Electricity Market Stabilization Facility (NEMSF) granted in 2015. This facility significantly led to the successful completion of this project.
“My administration remains committed to addresing the liquidity challenges which are adversely affecting the power sector’s viability. We noted with grave concern: the increase fiscal burden on the Fedetal Government (FG) occasioned by the tariff shortfalls in the power sector which are no longee sustainable. My efforts, via the CBN’s Power Assistance Fund (CBN PAF) targeted at supporting tariff shortfalls. Such interventions can no longer be extended and must be phased out to promote the sectir’s financial independence.
“We are also aware that these tariff shortfalls sit on DisCos’ book and impair their ability to raise capital and invest.
“The FG is working assidouslt to address these financial and fiscal challenges through various programs such as the National Mass Metering Program (NMMP), the Siemens AG Power Project and the World Bank Distribution Sector Recovery Program (DISREP) etc.
“These efforts by my administration are geared towards integrated resource planning in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI). 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.
“On the part of the consumers, I wish to call on the valued customers of all DisCos to desist from tampering with electricity meters. This is not only on account of protecting the revenues of DisCos but also related to the safety of customers as there have been reports of consumers losing lives in the course of by-passing meters.
“The FG reaffirms its commitment to ensure that electricity gets to the homes and businesses of all Nigerians, wether unserved or underserved. In the area of off-grid Electricity supply, the FG recently unveiled the 5 million solar connection ls program, through the CBN’s Development Finance Department and this application is still open.
“Upon completion, the 5 million solar connection Program will expand energy access to 25 milion individuals by providing 5 million new connections through the provision of solar home systems (SHS) or construction and operation of mini grids;
“Increase local content in the off-grid solar vakue chain, through facilitating the growth of the local manufacturing industry and incentivise the creation of 250,000 new jobs in the energy sector.
“The FG assures all DisCos of its readiness to support any initiative that is geared towards addresing the challenges facing the Nigerian power sector.”
