The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission NERC, has restructured the Transmission Company of Nigeria TCN, by establishing the Nigerian Independent System Operator of Nigeria Limited NISON.
The NERC Chairman, Mr Sanusi Garba and Vice Chairman, Mr Muslim Oseni, made the announcement in Abuja, on Saturday.
NERC stated, “This new company, to be named the Nigerian Independent System Operator of Nigeria Limited (NISO), will assume the market and system operation functions as specified in the Electricity Act and the terms of TCN’s system operation licence.”
“The new ISO will also negotiate contracts for ancillary services with independent power producers and generation licensees.
“In addition to performing market and system operation functions for the benefit of market participants and system users.”
The commission further said all market and system operation responsibilities will be transferred from TCN to the newly formed NISO.
“With the establishment of NISO, TCN will now transfer its assets and liabilities related to market and system operations to the new entity”.
It added that the development aligns with the provisions outlined in the Electricity Act 2023, which offer clearer guidelines for incorporating and licensing an independent system operator.
It also said TCN had previously held licences issued by NERC for both Transmission Service Provider and System Operations.
It added, “The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) has been directed to incorporate a private company limited by shares under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) by May 31.
It said NISO’s responsibilities include managing assets and liabilities related to the market, and system operation on behalf of market participants and consumer groups.
This is coming almost four years after the company said it was consulting stakeholders as it moves to implement the unbundling of the Transmission Company of Nigeria into two entities.
Following the privatisation of the power sector in 2013, private investors took over the generation and distribution companies while the TCN remained under the ownership and management of the Federal Government.
Since then, TCN has operated under strategic departments, including two important components called the Transmission Service Provider and the System Operator.
