By John Meze
The eleven power distribution companies in the country have agreed to pay for all power generated by the power generating companies in country, even when they are not distributed by them.
Speaking, recently, at the sides of an ongoing meeting with the 23 power sector stakeholders, even at their presence, the chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulation Commission, (NERC),Alhaji Sanusi Garba, stated that all the teams involved in power generation through distribution have resolved that all energy generated whether distributed or undisturbed should be paid for in order to enable steady power supply.
The Chairman, who informed that the generation sub- sector has about 12,000MegaWatts(MW), capacity but delivers about 8000MW out of which less than 5000MW is utilised averred that the underutilisation of the power generated stems from the use of old and obsolete equipments.
Alhaji Garba while assuring that the commission would ensure the judicious investment of N100 billion CAPEX for the Discos’ expansion and replacement of obsolete equipment, added that the commission would, also, ensure that that the over Eight million,(8 million) metering gap in the country would be met over the next three years.
This, he said, would form a part of the second phase of the metering exercise.
The NERC helmsman, further informed, that as distribution companies are allowed to operate embedded power, that all states in the federation desirous to do so are allowed to operate.
