NERC, the Sector umpire

The process of incorporation of PHCN was concluded on May 5, 2005 and an Order of NCP published in a Federal Gazette gave July 1, 2005 as the initial transfer date of assets, liabilities and staff of NEPA to PHCN.

In October 2005, the pioneer commissioners of NERC were inaugurated with Dr Ransome Owan as Chairman with six other commissioners. The commission began making regulations and codes that will guide the power sector operators now referred to as ‘market participants.’

In November 2005, 18 new successor companies comprising of 6 GenCos, 1 TCN and 11 DisCos were incorporated and NERC could now make and enforce regulations on them. In 2006, the Rural Electrification policy developed by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) was approved and the Agency was established but its operation was suspended in 2009 due to the National Assembly investigating it for corruption.

In November 2006, the Commission issued the Customer Complaints Handling: Standards & Procedures Regulation. In April 2007, it held a consultation on the proposed Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO) Methodology issued to the public. It also issued the Regulation on Customer Service Standards of Performance for Electricity Distribution Companies in December 2007.

NERC approved the Market Rules to guide the operations in the electricity industry in 2008. It also implemented the MultiYear Tariff Order (MYTO 1) on July 1, 2008 as a guiding tariff for power purchase and sales came. By August, the commission rolled out the Grid Code, Distribution Code and Metering Code to ensure effective transmission, distribution and metering of customers.