The Abia State Government has said the electricity market in the state is on track as the state is poised to utilize the available renewable energy sources in the state to provide access to electricity to all.
The Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Ikechukwu Monday, stated this at the Off Grid Energy Stakeholders Workshop on Abia State Off Grid Regulations Framework organised in Umuahia the capital on Wednesday.
He explained that the stakeholders’ engagement which involves personnel from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies in the state was aimed at making energy available at an international standard.
He said, “The electricity market in Abia State is on track and it’s evolving and we aim to make it not just within the national standard but international standard.
“The Ministry of Power and Public Utilities has the mandate to support His Excellency to fulfill his promise to Abians and one of his promises in his manifesto is to utilize the available renewable energy sources within the state to provide access to electricity to both underserved and unserved citizens.
“So, for this regulation to cover that sector, we thought it wise that it starts by engaging all the MDAs”
Monday enjoined the participants to be greatly engaged in the workshop and understand what the initiative is as well as how it would affect Abia State to contribute effectively to the policy framework.
He said following the Electricity Act of 2023 which removed electricity from the exclusive list and gave States the leverage to regulate their electricity, the government was working towards that.
He said, “We are already working on the main electricity law which covers both generation, transmission, distribution, and metering sectors of the market and that bill is at the Abia House of Assembly.
“So this programme is an addendum that will come out from the electricity law but specific to the mini-grid establishment in Abia state.
“So that’s what this programme is all about, it’s been financed by International Solar Alliance from India.”
The Commissioner further hinted that the facilitators were drawn from India and Germany to educate the participants, adding that the consultants are those who had worked with the federal government on the rural electrification agency at the federal level and disclosed that Abia is one of the first states to initiate it.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Energy, Kachi Etuluo, explained that the stakeholders chosen were part of efforts to position Abia state to be amongst the states that have developed their upgraded energy sector.
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