Power supply drops to 2,800mw, lowest since May 2015

Power supply through the national grid has dropped below 2,800 megawatts (MW) due to vandalism, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) says.

According to the acting CEO of NERC, Anthony Akah, the supply dropped from 5000 MW it was in the past two weeks, the lowest since May 2015 - it had dropped to 1,327 MW before former president Goodluck Jonathan, left office.

Speaking while signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Akah expressed displeasure over recurrent vandalism in the power sector.

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A statement released on Wednesday, March 2, by NERC head public affairs department, Usman Abba-Arabi, said NERC would soon compel the DISCOs to publish their meter deployment schedules, adding that the publication would ensure adherence to the meter roll out plan contained in the performance agreement signed with government by the utility firms.

“Such publication will make unmetered customers to be aware of the estimated period they have to wait before they can be metered,” the statement said.

It said NERC had issued warning to the DISCOs against wrongful estimated billings and acts of compelling customers to buy, install and repair transformers and poles.

On the MoU between NERC and CPC, it said it was part of frantic efforts to reduce the incidence of estimated billing completely.