Minister commends TCN over NIIBS centre

The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, has commended the initiative of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) owned NIBSS Power Collect Operation Command Centre because the platform would be insulated from human intervention andwould be purely driven by Information Communication Technology (ICT).
He further it would also provide a veritable platform for the yet to be declared Transitional Electricity Market (TEM) work properly.
He said the initiative had solved the problem of non-available platform to track activities in the three value chain of electricity.
Acknowledging that the privatization of the power sector had brought to fore some challenges, he however, expressed happiness that more innovations were being developed to tackle the challenges as they arise.
He said platform was an incredible synergy of technical information and financial tracking, as all information would be made available on the Communication Technology super highway.
He therefore, challenged TCN to redouble its efforts, saying Nigerians would  not accept any excuse.
“It is realistic and expedient for TCN to have capacity for evacuation of minimum 6,000mw of electricity by December 2014. It is not business as usual, but business unusual, as this platform has demonstrated that electricity business is done in the most credible and transparent manner for everybody to see.
“How money flows is matched with how energy flows and all these would not have been possible but for the privatization of the sector, he said.
Speaking on behalf of the market operators, Mrs.NgoziOsuhor, described the platform as a milestone step in ensuring sustainability of the market.
She said the platform had been packaged as a home grown solution, bench marked by international best practice.
“From the end of GENCOs,we send it to the level when power is translated to cash. We allow every authorized person to have unfettered access through seeing what we are doing in the most transparent manner,” she said.
Managing Director, Kaduna DISCO, Idris Mohammed, said in the time past, it appeared impossible to track sector’s activities from the comfort of one’s home, but that with this innovation it had become possible.
“We are looking at a time when power can be sold at black market; that will be ahead of what we are seeing today,” he said.
On his part, the Chairman, Presidential Task Force on Power (PTFP), BeksDagog-Jack, said the challenge of privatization of the sector was to see the leaders take responsibilities even across nation’s border.
“Nigeria as the biggest economy on the continent we must take the lead and indeed our rightful position in the scheme of things,” he said.