About 26 industrial customers have elected to sign up to be supplied power directly from power generation companies (Gencos) instead of from the distribution companies (Discos) under the eligible consumers’ scheme approved by the federal government in 2017, the government said yesterday in Minna, Niger State.

The eligible customers regime seeks to enable large users of electricity in Nigeria’s power sector get adequate supplies directly from power Gencos. The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, disclosed that this number of industrialists were ready to engage the scheme at the August 2018 edition of the monthly power sector operators meeting. He also stated that five industrial consumers were already benefiting from the scheme.

To get the Discos to support the eligible customers’ scheme, Fashola said he had asked the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), to work out and implement competition transition charges as provided by law to safeguard them from any losses.

He also indicated that the N701 billion payment assurance guarantee, which the government approved for the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET) has ensured the Gencos now get up to 80 per cent of their monthly invoices as against his claims they got only 20 per cent before now.

On metering, he said the MAP as part of its objectives was introduced to address meter supply gaps, provide relief to the Discos of the financial burden of supplying meters, and allow entrepreneurs to get involved in the business of meter supply through diversified sources, but that it did not end the Discos’ obligations to provide meter to their customers.

•Excerpted from a THISDAY report