By News Desk
The country may be thrown into another round pf blackout I’d threat by the Federal Government to severe power firms from the national grid is anything to go by.
The Federal Government had announced that it had begun disconnection of some power companies from the national grid due to their non-compliance with the Electricity Market Rules.
In spite of not naming the affected power plants, the government explained that the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) was governed by rules that were integral to its viability and sustainability.
In the eyes of the Federal Government, these rules were sacrosanct and must be followed by all existing or new players in this sector.
Power sector players include electricity generation, transmission, and distribution companies. For all players to interact effectively and create the requisite harmony for the growth, efficiency, and profitability of the sector, the rules must be obeyed and upheld, according to the government.
“Some of these rules are domiciled with the Market Operator, but today, adherence to the Market Rule is below expectations,” the Market Operator, an arm of the Federal Government’s Transmission Company of Nigeria, Dr. Edmund Eje, said in a statement issued in Abuja.
He added, “NESI market indiscipline is one of the major factors dealing a disastrous blow to the scalability and growth of the market.
“Market Participation Agreement is signed by all participants, but to comply with them is usually an uphill task for many. If the rules of every game are observed, there would be no need for sanctions.
“Currently, the Market Operator – TCN, is embarking on sanctioning erring market participants, having given them notice and time to comply with the market rules. One of the fallouts of the sanctions will be the partial or complete disconnection of defaulters from their point of connection to the grid.”
