NEMSA sets up task-force, conducts nationwide performance evaluations of TCN, DisCos facilities
Oredola Adeola
The Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) has launched taskforce to monitor the performance of the Transmission Company of Nigeria(TCN) and the Nigerian Electricity Distribution Companies(DisCos) across the country, with the specific aim of ensuring that high-quality electrical materials and equipment are deployed in all distribution and transmission network.
The Public Affairs Department of NEMSA made this known in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja.
According to the statement, NEMSA has reiterated its commitment to ensuring that Nigerians have efficient, safe, and reliable power supply services.
Engr. Tukur Tahir Aliyu, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NEMSA, based on the content of the statement, issued a directive for the monitoring of the performance of the transmission and distribution facilities as part of the renewed commitment of NEMSA to effectively discharge its statutory mandate.
The NEMSA MD said that the agency noticed that there is a wide gap between the distribution and transmission companies. He also noted that the poor performance of the power network is the major challenge responsible for the unstable power supply in the country.
He said, “We have also inaugurated a task force on monitoring the performance of existing networks across the country.
“We have successfully updated our quality management system (ISO 9001) certification for the year 2022.
”Also, we have successfully started the certification process for ISO 17024 which has to do with the accreditation of our laboratories to ensure that our services are recognised globally and accepted. That is ongoing.
The NEMSA’s MD statement noted that the agency was empowered by the NEMSA’s 2015 act to ensure the enforcement of standards and regulations,” the MD’s statement noted.
The statement further said, “The mandate of the task force is to look at the challenges between transmission and distribution.
“We carry out these through a number of activities, one of which is inspection and testing of all categories of electrical equipment and installations.
“When we go out on inspection we make sure that all the requirements are complied with before we can issue a certification for that equipment to be installed for use in the country.
”Through that process, we enforce the standards and regulations. We also carry out regular monitoring of existing networks, ”it said.
The agency said that its management under the leadership of the Managing Director was working round the clock to ensure that Nigerians have more stable power supply services.
The statement recalled that the agency was established by NEMSA Act, 2015 and charged with the responsibility to carry out the functions of enforcement of technical standards and regulations, technical Inspection, testing and certification of all categories of electrical installations, electricity meters and instruments.
It said the step was to ensure an efficient production and delivery of safe, reliable and sustainable electricity power supply and guarantee safety of lives and property in the Nigerian electricity supply industry ( NESI) and other allied industries, workplaces and premises.
It said its core mandate would be achieved through close collaboration with partners including Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Agency (NERC) and Federal Ministry of Power.
“NEMSA strives to ensure zero incidences of electrical accidents, energy accountability, eliminate sub-standard equipment and materials and rid the system of quack electrical personnel.
”One of the strategies to realise the vision is through effective service delivery by consistently applying our corporate culture defined by a simple set of corporate values of quality service and safety, honesty and integrity as well as leadership and collaboration.
The statement noted that the NEMSA guiding standards were developed by SON while the technical regulations were developed by NERC while NEMSA’s mandate is to enforce these standards and regulations.
“We also carry out the certification of electrical installation personnel- that is the personnel responsible for executing electrical installations across the country through the certification.
”’We ensure that they are qualified and competent and that they understand the regulations and standards with regards to their duties. We also ensure that they regularly update their knowledge of the industry while we monitor their performance.
“The next area of our mandate is the testing and certification of the materials and equipment used in electrical works. We have our meter testing laboratories across the country where we carry out the testing of meters before they are installed in homes and public places,” it said.
It added that the agency also inspects transformers; assemblers and manufacturers as well as cable manufacturers across the country.
“Through that means, NEMSA ensures that these equipment and materials are tested and certified before they are deployed for use in the country.
