Nigeria, Niger, Ghana, Others Push for Regional Electricity Market

Despite recent setbacks, especially with the impact of the
COVID-19 pandemic, the West African Power Pool (WAPP) yesterday
expressed its determination to go ahead with its plan to have a
regional electricity market to connect Nigeria to Niger Republic
and other West African countries.

Giving the activity report of WAPP for the period from January
to December 2020, the sub-regional organisation, chaired by the
Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mr.
Sule Abdulaziz, said soon member countries would have
interconnected power systems.

Secretary-General of the body, Mr. Apolonaire Seingui, said
despite the negative impact of the pandemic, WAPP had continued to
make giant strides towards the implementation of a competitive
regional electricity market.

A statement by the General Manager, Public Affairs, TCN, Mrs.
Ndidi Mbah, noted that Seingui spoke at the 15th session of the
General Assembly for 2020, holding in Lome, Republic of Togo, where
he informed the board that the membership of the organisation had
increased to 36 member utilities, including one observer.

Speaking on the status of implementation of the various projects
handled by the WAPP secretariat, which are at various stages of
execution, Seingui lauded the members for the steadfastness, urging
them to continue to support the ongoing projects.

Some of the projects include the 330kV WAPP North Core
Interconnection Project linking Nigeria to Niger, Benin, Togo and
Burkina Faso as well as the 330kV Median Core Interconnection
Project to connect Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire,
among others.

WAPP noted that the establishment of regional electricity market
remains the ultimate goal set for the body by the ECOWAS heads of
state and government and the Information and Coordination Centre
(ICC).

The organisation stated that its next set of activities would
include the implementation of the synchronisation project of WAPP
interconnected power systems and the improvement of distribution
utilities, performance targeting and distribution loss
reduction.

The WAPP executive board consists of 15 members, with 11
permanent members, three rotating members and one honorary
member.

Delivering his welcome address, Abdulaziz noted that the power
sector, as the engine of every economy, has been significantly
impacted by the current global pandemic.

He said this has led to, in most cases, a reduction in
electricity demand, financial stress and other disruptions.

According to him, the pandemic has introduced several challenges
for every country and institutions globally as increasing
unemployment and poverty has prevented many from paying their
electricity bills.

“Payment delays and sometimes delinquency of utility bills by
end consumers is having a detrimental effect on the electricity
supply chain.

“With the pandemic’s effect on the supply and demand side of the
value chain and the already existing liquidity crisis, strategic
options must be deployed to assist utilities bearing the brunt of
the COVID-19 negative consequences,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has
said that power supply to Kontagora, Tegina, Kagara and surrounding
towns and villages will be interrupted from December 10 to December
14 as a result of the need to maintain the Kontagora 132/33kV
transmission line serving the affected areas.

A statement by the company’s spokesman, Mr. Fadipe Oyebode, said
during the blackout, the Kainji line maintenance crew of the TCN,
which handles the exercise, will fabricate and replace the cross
arms on tower 244 and 246.
“Our colleagues at the TCN have assured us of their readiness to
complete the exercise within the stipulated time and restore supply
immediately,” the AEDC said.

Despite recent setbacks, especially with the impact of the
COVID-19 pandemic, the West African Power Pool (WAPP) yesterday
expressed its determination to go ahead with its plan to have a
regional electricity market to connect Nigeria to Niger Republic
and other West African countries.

Giving the activity report of WAPP for the period from January
to December 2020, the sub-regional organisation, chaired by the
Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mr.
Sule Abdulaziz, said soon member countries would have
interconnected power systems.

Secretary-General of the body, Mr. Apolonaire Seingui, said
despite the negative impact of the pandemic, WAPP had continued to
make giant strides towards the implementation of a competitive
regional electricity market.

A statement by the General Manager, Public Affairs, TCN, Mrs.
Ndidi Mbah, noted that Seingui spoke at the 15th session of the
General Assembly for 2020, holding in Lome, Republic of Togo, where
he informed the board that the membership of the organisation had
increased to 36 member utilities, including one observer.

Speaking on the status of implementation of the various projects
handled by the WAPP secretariat, which are at various stages of
execution, Seingui lauded the members for the steadfastness, urging
them to continue to support the ongoing projects.

Some of the projects include the 330kV WAPP North Core
Interconnection Project linking Nigeria to Niger, Benin, Togo and
Burkina Faso as well as the 330kV Median Core Interconnection
Project to connect Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire,
among others.

WAPP noted that the establishment of regional electricity market
remains the ultimate goal set for the body by the ECOWAS heads of
state and government and the Information and Coordination Centre
(ICC).

The organisation stated that its next set of activities would
include the implementation of the synchronisation project of WAPP
interconnected power systems and the improvement of distribution
utilities, performance targeting and distribution loss
reduction.

The WAPP executive board consists of 15 members, with 11
permanent members, three rotating members and one honorary
member.

Delivering his welcome address, Abdulaziz noted that the power
sector, as the engine of every economy, has been significantly
impacted by the current global pandemic.

He said this has led to, in most cases, a reduction in
electricity demand, financial stress and other disruptions.

According to him, the pandemic has introduced several challenges
for every country and institutions globally as increasing
unemployment and poverty has prevented many from paying their
electricity bills.

“Payment delays and sometimes delinquency of utility bills by
end consumers is having a detrimental effect on the electricity
supply chain.

“With the pandemic’s effect on the supply and demand side of the
value chain and the already existing liquidity crisis, strategic
options must be deployed to assist utilities bearing the brunt of
the COVID-19 negative consequences,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has
said that power supply to Kontagora, Tegina, Kagara and surrounding
towns and villages will be interrupted from December 10 to December
14 as a result of the need to maintain the Kontagora 132/33kV
transmission line serving the affected areas.

A statement by the company’s spokesman, Mr. Fadipe Oyebode, said
during the blackout, the Kainji line maintenance crew of the TCN,
which handles the exercise, will fabricate and replace the cross
arms on tower 244 and 246.
“Our colleagues at the TCN have assured us of their readiness to
complete the exercise within the stipulated time and restore supply
immediately,” the AEDC said.