By Udeme Akpan
ENUGU— THE Discussion board for Commissioners of Energy and Power in Nigeria, FOCPEN, yesterday, condemned the continuing energy outages in Enugu State, attributable to a deliberate motion by the Enugu Electrical energy Distribution Firm PLC, EEDC, to cut back provide within the state.
EEDC primarily based its resolution on the latest tariff order issued to its subsidiary firm, MainPower Electrical energy Distribution Restricted, by the Enugu Electrical energy Regulatory Fee, which lowered Band A electrical energy tariffs from N209/kwh to N160/kwh efficient from August 1, 2025.
The discussion board, in an announcement, stated: “FOCPEN views this unilateral motion by EEDC not merely as a regulatory dispute with the Regulator, however as a declaration of conflict on the nice individuals of Enugu State by EEDC. FOCPEN needs to state that EEDC’s reckless motion is a grave violation of its license obligations underneath present nationwide electrical energy laws. EEDC’s motion can also be a transparent demonstration of the flawed privatisation course of that has empowered personal traders of DisCos to deprive residents of important electrical energy companies with impunity.
“FOCPEN needs to state unequivocally that if MainPower or EEDC imagine the tariff as set by the Regulator is insufficient, the suitable and authorized path is to hunt a evaluation via established regulatory processes. To resort to an arbitrary disconnection or discount of energy by as much as 50% to a state, smacks of blackmail by EEDC.
“EEDC’s motion additionally portends grave hazard for client rights within the NESI, and undermines the continuing implementation of State Electrical energy Markets, SEM. Moreover, it exposes the alarming market energy of DisCos to carry electrical energy regulators at sub-national and on the federal stage, to ransom. EEDC’s motion units a harmful precedent for different DisCos to undermine the profitable implementation of the Electrical energy Act 2023 and decentralization of electrical energy laws.
“FOCPEN calls on the Nigerian Electrical energy Regulatory Fee, NERC, to right away name EEDC to order. NERC, as the present regulator of EEDC, should examine this matter totally and sanction this unacceptable motion by EEDC, which FOCPEN believes has no regulatory approval from NERC.”
Nevertheless, to stop such reckless motion by a Distribution Licensee from taking place once more, FOCPEN urged the Minister of Energy, Chief Bayo Adelabu, “to right away intervene and prevail upon NERC and EEDC to reverse the facility cuts and restore electrical energy to the individuals of Enugu State.”
It acknowledged: “Because the chief coverage maker for the sector, the Minister should take decisive motion to cease the lawlessness by DisCos who can arbitrarily and with out consequence deprive residents of electrical energy.
“NERC should develop applicable laws that will permit SubCos enter into bilateral contracts with GenCos to obtain wholesale energy from the nationwide grid. Such regulation might embrace a mandate for NBET to enter into direct or interim Energy Buy Agreements, PPAs, with SubCos. The present association, the place SubCos obtain energy via their HoldCos is an anti-competitive follow that limits their operational autonomy inside SEMs and creates a possible for abuse, as evidenced by the present disaster.
“NERC should sanction EEDC for its actions. The Fee should show that it has the tooth to manage the NESI because the apex regulator and defend shoppers from the tyranny of highly effective Successor DisCos HoldCos which are presently its licensees.
“FOCPEN will proceed to observe the state of affairs carefully and won’t hesitate to take additional motion to make sure the rights of shoppers inside SEMs are protected. FOCPEN stands in solidarity with the individuals of Enugu State and name on all related authorities to handle this disaster with the urgency it deserves.”
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