By Chris Ochayi

ABUJA — The Federal Government has fixed January 1, 2015 as take-off of the Transition Electricity Market, TEM, where market participants would be sanctioned for failing to meet their contractual obligations to other stakeholders.

The Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, who nnounced the development at a stakeholder forum in Abuja, said that the main focus of TEM will be the consummation of all contractual obligations as stipulated in the rules.

He added that TEM declaration is not the start of the transition, but an attempt to make the market more mature and robust.

The Minister, who promised a level playing field for all participants, insisted that government will not accept any excuse for the inability of all actors to provide Nigerians with uninterrupted power supply.

The Minister disclosed that the Central Bank is ready, hence all market participants should perfect their papers in order to access cheap fund under the Government’s Intervention Initiative.

Professor Nebo also disclosed that government is determined to radically address the lingering metering-gap existing in the power sector, which he said will help block leakages, thereby making more resources available for investment.

The Minister also spoke about the negative impact of vandalism on power generation, saying that he and his counterpart in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources have perfected plans to stem this tide.

He spoke about plans to increase power generation through access to gas by plants built under the National Integrated Power Project, NIPP, and enhanced transmission capacity, adding that government will also pursue with vigour energy efficiency and conservation initiatives.

The Permanent Secretary, Power, Ambassador Godknows Igali, tasked the Distribution Companies DISCOs, to be more innovative in their load shedding arrangement, saying companies should manage scarce resources by shutting out electricity supply in offices at night while homes will have their turn in day time.

Speaking on behalf of Discos, Ernest Mupaya of Abuja Disco, said that his company has invested heavily in infrastructure aimed at improving service delivery; specially the “company now has an integrated payment platform for settlement of bills for improved customers’ interactions.”

He said the paltry allocation of 285MW is being consumed at the ratio of 80 per cent for the metropolis and 20 per cent to adjoining states and satellite settlements, he promised that with more energy available to the company, more will be made available to customers.

Abuja Disco, he said, had the capacity to use 700MW if available on the national grid, adding that the company is already working with Independent Power Producers, IPPs, that will harness vast solar-powered energy source and other power embedded projects, so that less emphasis will be on the grid.