Port Harcourt DISCO Tops on Safety Ranking
Minister of Power, Works, and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, has directed core regulatory bodies in the power sector
such as Nigerian Electricity Management Services (NEMSA), Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trader, (NBET), and the Market Operator (TCN/ MO) to implement ranking criteria in order to assess the safety and payment performance of Distribution Companies (DISCOs). The Minister gave the directive at a meeting held at the Shiroro Hydroelectric Plant in Niger State.
The Minister’s concern is sequel to the spade of cases in electrocutions as recently reported on locations in Eko and Abuja DISCOs, although the families were compensated in record time. He is of the opinion that they should embark on system upgrade to reduce or totally eliminate this hazard, thereby reducing the incidence of electrocution and other related accidents. To this end, the Ministerial directive was reportedly complied with; hence for the month of May, Port Harcourt Disco has been ranked best in safety compliance category.
In order to assist Discos with the upgrade plans, the Minister directed them to take ownership of abandoned transformers and sub- stations in their domain. This he assured will help them to energize their networks, thereby increasing availability of power supply to households.
Owing to obvious constraints, the ranking for payment performance will commence in June, hence the full ranking for metering loss reduction and service delivery will be made public in July, 2016.
It would be recalled that the Minister, on assumption of duty, instituted the Regular/ Monthly Operators in the Electricity Industry’s Meeting premised on a hands on approach to identifying, discussing and finding practical solutions to challenges confronting the industry, not from the comfort of his office but on the field by crisscrossing sectors’ facilities and sites nationwide.
Since the commencement of the monthly rituals, the sixth in a roll, a week from now, has been slated for Monday 11th July, 2016, at Benin Distribution Company, (Benin Disco)