Chairman of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr. Sam Amadi, has assured that the nations’ electricity needs would be achieved before 2016. Amadi, who stated this at a town hall meeting on Power Sector organised by the Redeem Evangelical Mission, TREM in Minna, Niger state, said to this end, the commission has issued licenses to independent private power plant operators to generate over 20, 000 megawatts of electricity in the next 3 years.
The chairman, who was a guest speaker at the meeting, stated that with 20,000 megawatts, the nation’s power quest would be attainable; saying the various reforms and regulations embarked upon by the Federal Government was responsible for the recent huge foreign investment witnessed in the power sector. He said, “We can make 30,000 megawatts within the next one year if we want.
Already we have issued licenses to investors to generate over 20,000 megawatts before 2016. Because life has thought us that nothing is impossible. I am sure that with all the efforts put in place; our power generation will surely surpass our target by 2016.”
The NERC chairman, however, blamed the problems confronting the country’s’ power sector to lack of framework, no cost related terms as well as inconsistency in policy, which are now all being regulated to boast the sector.
Due to global concerns raised on the amount of gas being flared on daily bases in the country, Amadi noted that the best way forward is to stop the flaring by offering incentives that would encourage its usage for the power sector of the nation.
Also, speaking on the increase in monthly tariff levy on consumers by various DISCOs, even when there is no electricity supply, Amadi stated.
The commission has directed that no payment should be made by consumers, when electricity is not supplied to them for upwards to 2 weeks and above, no customer should pay anything, when there is no power supply for two weeks.”
