By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa

Bayelsa State has launched a fresh drive to strengthen electricity regulation and improve power supply with the inaugural meeting of the leadership team of the Bayelsa State Electricity Regulatory Agency (BYERA).

The Director General, Dr Rosalyn Dressman, at the weekend met with the agency’s six directors, where she outlined an early reform agenda focused on consumer protection, safety standards, market fairness and investor confidence.

“This is not business as usual,” Dressman said, stressing that the electricity sector must deliver better outcomes for households, businesses and long-term economic growth in the state.

According to her, the meeting marked the beginning of a structured approach to addressing persistent challenges in the power sector, including service instability, consumer complaints, weak enforcement of standards and limited accountability.

She disclosed that BYERA’s first 90-day priorities include statewide sensitisation programmes, town hall meetings and technical engagements with electricity operators.

At the meeting, responsibilities were assigned across six directorates covering key functions within the electricity value chain. The Director of Consumer Affairs will lead consumer protection efforts, handle complaints, promote transparency and drive public awareness on consumer rights and responsibilities.

The Director of Engineering Performance Monitoring will oversee technical standards, infrastructure monitoring and safety compliance, with a mandate to improve reliability and reduce risks associated with outages and accidents.

The Director of Finance and Management Services will manage internal controls, financial systems and administrative operations to support sustainability and transparency, while the Director of Legal, Licensing and Compliance will coordinate operator licensing and enforce electricity regulations to ensure compliance with approved frameworks.

Others include the Director of Market Competition and Risk, tasked with promoting fair competition, assessing market risks and addressing practices that could harm consumers or discourage investment, and the Director of Planning, Research, Training and Strategy, who will guide long-term planning, policy research, capacity building and data-driven decision-making in line with industry best practices.

BYERA said it plans to hold town hall meetings across communities to gather consumer feedback and address longstanding concerns, alongside technical meetings with electricity operators on safety, quality and performance standards. The agency also plans investor engagements aimed at positioning Bayelsa as an emerging destination for energy investment under a more predictable regulatory environment.

A key priority, officials said, is the introduction and enforcement of technical safety and quality performance standards to improve service delivery and reduce recurring faults and operational inefficiencies.

As part of the reform drive, BYERA is also encouraging the adoption of smart meters, including GPS-enabled meters, to improve billing accuracy, curb energy theft and enhance transparency between consumers and service providers.

“This shift will help rebuild trust in the sector, which has been strained by billing disputes and complaints over service quality,” the agency said, adding that implementation of the early action plan will commence in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, stakeholders have welcomed the initiative, noting that improved electricity reliability would have a positive impact on the state’s economy, particularly for small businesses, artisans, agro-processors and other enterprises that rely heavily on generators.