BY CHRIS OCHAYI

ABUJA — The Federal Government has threatened to sanction electricity distribution companies, Discos, over their failures to comply with directive to furnish it with reporting and submission of data that would allow for proper assessment.

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, who read the riot act in Abuja, requested all the companies to submit baseline statistics on distribution assets they took over.

This is the first time the commission is assessing the utilities on their key performance indicators since they took over barely six months ago.

Dr. Amadi, however, noted that there was need for network data assessment, amongst which was to establish a data bank of all existing distribution assets to monitor, track and report performance of the distribution companies, with respect to strengthening of distribution systems and capacity expansion as well as facilitate expansion and development of the distribution networks.

With just three of the 11 distribution companies meeting up with the directive, the commission considered it a total disregard of its directives and warned that it will soon enforce the relevant section of the EPSR Act, 2005, on reporting obligation.

Amadi expressed reservations on the compliance level of distribution companies in the reporting and submission of data that would allow for proper network data assessment by the commission.

The reporting obligation as contained in part 10, section 94(2) of the Electricity Power Sector Reform Act, 2005, states that any person who fails or refuses to furnish a return or to supply information in the manner and time prescribed, or gives false or incomplete information commits an offence and is liable on conviction.

To this ends, Dr. Amadi said the CEOs had been told at their April meeting to comply with the commission’s request on submission of baseline statistics on distribution assets they took over.

He urged the distribution companies to improve on their performances and make necessary adjustments, adding that a similar exercise with the transmission and generation companies would soon be carried out.

According to him, “discos are to note their performances and make necessary adjustments to ensure timely and accurate reporting.

“Similar exercises would be conducted for Transmission and Generation Companies.”