By Prince OKAFOR

Stakeholders in the Mini-grid market across the country have urged the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to ensure effective integrated and comprehensive National Electrification Plan to aid growth in the power sector.

This was made known at a round table stakeholder’s forum convened by Nextier Power with support from the Heinrich Böll Shiftung in Abuja.

The group agreed that in creating this plan, several factors should be taken into consideration including: cost effectiveness, natural resource availability and the realistic capabilities of the distribution companies, DISCOs. Some of the issues raised include:

Isolated mini-grid operators should not have to interact with DISCOs. The 5 year plan of the DISCOs should be available at NERC, the impetus should not be on NERC to pursue the DISCOs for their plan, but on the DISCOs to submit their plans.”

The method of calculating compensation should be changed to a standard valuation method.  The compensation should not be tied to depreciated assets but should instead be tied to loans taken for the project (perhaps providing 100 percent loan financing cover) and future cash flows.

The regulation should include provision for a situation whereby a community wants to remain with a mini-grid operator and as opposed to the DISCO upon arrival.