Power Minister Bows To Electricity Consumers’ Threats Over Disconnected DisCos From Transmission Lines, Orders Reconnection

… Gives 60-Days Grace For Compliance

The Minister of Power, Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu has bowed to threats by electricity consumers who had vowed to occupy Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) offices over disconnection of some electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) from transmission lines for alleged violation of market rules, including indebtedness and non-remittances, if it is not reconnected within a given time frame.

OPTIMUM TIMES recalls that Over 20,000 members of the Aba Landlords Protection and Development Association (ALPDA) had threatened to mobilise to the TCN Alaoji Aba office over continued disconnection of Aba Power, Abia state from transmission lines, thereby throwing electricity consumers within the franchise area into blackouts since more than two weeks.

The Landlords had vowed to embark on this protest action if Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) fails to reconnect Aba power to the transmission line over N896m owed by Federal Government agencies in the power sector to Aba Power.

However, the Market Operator, Transmission Company of Nigeria ( TCN), late Sunday night announced that it is set to reconnect, at midnight today (1st May 2023), the three Distribution Companies earlier disconnected from the Electricity power grid/transmission line as a result of non compliance with the Market Rules.

The three DisCos involved include Aple Electric Limited in Aba, Kaduna and Kano DisCos, according to a statement by Engr. E. A. Eje, Market Operator/TCN.

According to him, “This is coming at the intervention of the Hon. Minister of Power, Engr Aliyu, who has considered the collateral consequences on the paying Disco Customers. These Suspended & Disconnected defaulting Market Participants will be reconnected to the National Grid at the instance of the Honourable Minister of Power.

He explained that the intervention by the Minister of Power has automatically prolonged the grace period to 60 days from this publication.

Further, he warned that all Market defaulters should comply with the provisions of the Market Rules with respect to payment of their outstanding invoices, posting of adequate Bank Guarantees (BG), and forwarding of their active Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) as the case may be, to the Market Operator/TCN.

“It should be noted that other defaulters who are yet to be Suspended/Disconnected should cure their defaults within this sixty (60) days. At the expiration of this grace period, the Market Operator will resume sanctions in line with the Market Rules.

“The MO/TCN is hereby urging the erring Discos to seize this opportunity to fix their defaults as we applaud the intervention of the Honorable Minister of Power”, he stressed.