ECOWAS countries commence Day-Ahead electricity market, as WAPP completes information, coordination centre

Oredola Adeola

The West African Power Pool, (WAPP) is at the final stage of commencing day-ahead electricity trading and the next phase of the bulk electric transmission system in the ECOWAS regional market, following the completion of the construction and equipping of the Information and Coordination Centre (ICC) in Benin Republic.

This was confirmed in a statement released by Ndidi Mbah, General Manager, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Public Affairs at the weekend, on the sideline of the just concluded WAPP 59th Executive Board Meeting held at Calavi, Cotonou, Benin Republic, on Friday, October 6, 2023.

EnergyDay gathered that the day-ahead energy market is a system that allows transactions for the buying and selling of electrical power one day prior to the delivery day.

Engr. Sule Abdullaziz, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of TCN, in his remark at the end of the WAPP 59th Executive Board Meeting stated that the regulatory document for activation of the next phase of the market is undergoing approval process at the ECOWAS Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERERA).

Abdulaziz, who doubles as the Executive Board Chairman of WAPP, further stated that in preparation for the new phase of the electricity market in West Africa, Operators are currently undergoing training on the working of live trading system to ensure that once approval is granted, the transition would be seamless.

The WAPP henchman added that with support from the World Bank, the organisation is recruiting eleven new engineers to bolster the capacity of the Information and Coordination Centre, even as the study for the restructuring of the secretariat in fulfilment of legal requirements for an independent system and market operator has kicked off.

While intimating that the collective actions of members will determine what the market turns out to be, he noted that “building and equipping of infrastructure alone does not guarantee the success of the market.”

He added that the behaviour of the market participants is equally important for the effective operation of the regional electricity market.

He said, “The advent of the market requires discipline and competence in operations and management as well as in financial reporting.”

Speaking on the new WAPP secretariat, which has been scheduled for inauguration in November this year, the WAPP Board Chairman said, “this will be a unique occasion for WAPP to announce itself to the world at large.

“Let us make maximum use of this opportunity to not only inform the global audience about what WAPP is doing, but also the tremendous opportunities that our sector offers to private investors, ” Engr. Abdulaziz said.

Mr. Siengui A. Ki, Secretary General of WAPP, in his address, commended other member utilities who paid their contributions to the organisation’s despite the COVID-19 pandemic and regional security crisis.

He urged those who are yet to pay to do so.

Ki further emphasised that the agenda for the 59th session was for the board to among others, look into the status of contributions by member utilities and the budget of WAPP secretariat, review the consolidated 2022 financial statement, validate the programme of activities and 2024 budget as well as the WAPP business plan for 2024-2027.

Engr. Kabiru Adamu, Chairman, Strategic Planning, and Environmental Committee of WAPP, who is also the General Manager System Planning, TCN, presented the WAPP Business Plan of the POOL for the next four years to the Executive Board for consideration and adoption.

The 59th session witnessed the admission of two new heads of utilities; the Director General of SONABEL, Mr. Sulieman Ouedraogo and the new Managing Director of SBEE, Mr. Gabriel Degbegni, who are to serve as members of the WAPP Board.

EnergyDay’s check further showed that the WAPP was created by the decision of the ECOWAS heads of State and Government with the aim of curtailing the power deficit in the West African sub region.

The WAPP Secretariat operates as a specialised institution of ECOWAS and was conferred with the diplomatic immunities required to operate effectively within the entire ECOWAS member states for the benefit of the bulk electric transmission system and supply of power within the region.