Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has launched an investigation into the 18 injuries and 37 deaths recorded in the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) in the First Quarter 2022 (Q1 2022), The Nation has learnt.
This was contained in the Commission’s First Quarter 2022 Report obtained yesterday.
“In 2022/Q1, the total number of incidents was 55 – 18 injuries and 37 deaths,” said the Commission, which compared the record to 40 incidents recorded in 2021/Q4 – 9 injuries and 31 deaths.
NERC added: “The Commission has launched investigations into the reported incidents with a view of understanding the root causes records and meting out relevant actions against the licensees (where applicable).”
The report noted that in accordance with section 32(1)(e) of EPSRA, the Commission continued to monitor health and safety performance in the NESI to guarantee the delivery of safe and reliable electricity to Nigerians.
It said of the 87 mandatory health and safety reports expected from licensees in 2022/Q1, the Commission received a total of 78 reports as against 75 submitted in 2021/Q4.
The report explained that “Sapele and Egbin Power have two outstanding reports each, while Yola DisCo, Agip power, Geregu power, Shell power and Shiroro Power each have one outstanding report for 2022/Q1.”
According to the report, the Commission has developed new processes to track the submission of statutory reports (including the health and safety report) by licensees which will guide the implementation of relevant actions against licensees that do not meet their obligations.
The health and safety reports, said NERC, were analysed in line with the provisions of Section 32(1)(e) of ESPRA for monitoring and evaluating health and safety performance of licensees to ensure that operators abide by their responsibility of delivering safe electricity services to consumers.
The report noted that the commission has forum panels which assist in redressing customers’ and operators’ unresolved disputes as enshrined in the Commission’s Customer Complaints handling Standards and procedures (CCHSP) Regulations.
As of 31st March 2022, said the report, the Commission had 31 operational Forum Offices in 30 states and the FCT, Abuja.
NERC also said the total number of new complaints received in the quarter was 1,602 while the Forum
Offices cumulatively had a total of 677 pending complaints carried over from 2021/Q4.
It added that this means in total, there were 2,279 across all the Forum Offices in 2022/Q1.
Comparatively, this corresponds to a decrease of 80 (-3.39%) complaints compared to 2,359 active complaints in 2021/Q4.
According to the report, “the Forum Offices covering Ibadan Disco’s operation areas (Ibadan, Ilorin and Osogbo) had the highest number of active complaints (467 complaints) in 2022/Q1.”
