The Board of Commissioners of the Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission (LERC) is at the moment reviewing Jungle Energy Power’s (JEP) electrical energy tariff software following a public listening to just lately held in Gompa City, Nimba County.
The Commission, in April 2022, requested JEP to use in step with 2015 Electricity Law of Liberia (ELL) and the Electricity Tariff Regulations. The public listening to was chaired by the Chairman of the LERC, Dr. Lawrence D. Sekajipo and introduced collectively the Ministry of Mines and Energy, native authorities authorities, stakeholders, the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), JEP, companies, civil society organizations, curiosity teams, and the general public.
According to an LERC launch, Sekajipo stated the general public listening to was to make sure that all affected events have “a fair and meaningful opportunity for participation” within the decision-making strategy of the Commission”.
He instructed members on the listening to that, as required by the regulation and associated rules, the Commission’s resolution will likely be rendered in writing throughout the coming days after the listening to and can tackle all substantive feedback raised or submitted to the Commission.
The Deputy Minister of Energy, George Gontor lauded LERC for organizing the listening to and stated events ought to take into account the affordability of electrical energy, which is consistent with the federal government of Liberia’s professional poor agenda.
In its tariff submission, the CEO and General Manager, Tomah Floyd and Alieu Keita, knowledgeable the Commission that JEP was proposing a number of end-user tariffs, and the proposed tariffs for electrical energy customers in Nimba County will cowl the interval from February 2023 to December 2025 and can stay on the present prices of US$0.25 per kWh for residential.
Kieta defined that JEP was proposing to the Commission to introduce “Fixed Charges of US$ 2.00 for residential and commercial customers and US$35 monthly for medium voltage users and this amount will be used for Jungle’s expansion across the county.”
Floyd famous that the principle meter between LEC and CIE within the Ivory Coast is just not operational; and JEP continues to obtain an enormous variance between the month-to-month payments despatched from CIE by way of LEC and the studying from the “check meter which is of serious financial loss”.
“The JEP transformers, instead of receiving primary voltage of 33KV from Ivory Coast (CIE), JEP receives 31KV which reduces further as the MV line extends,” he lamented.
Tomah knowledgeable the Commission that the dearth of funding or subsidy to assist in the enlargement of distribution traces into economically challenged communities needing energy is a problem for the entity and referred to as for subsidy from the nationwide and native authorities.
Following JEP’s submission, members of the viewers quizzed Tomah and Kieta on its software, efficiency, and operations within the county. Key amongst the issues raised by members of the viewers had been the exorbitant electrical energy money owed reportedly owed to LEC and being collected by JEP on behalf of LEC.
Customers complained that they’re unsure on how these money owed had been accrued and the cost association. “Every time I purchase electricity; an amount is deducted. I know how much I owe and do know how much I have paid to date”, Nyan Dolo identified.
In March 2013, a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) was signed between the LEC and CIE for the availability of electrical energy to communities in Liberia from the Ivory Coast. In 2016, JEP signed a Distribution Licensee Assignment Agreement (LEC) to function the Nimba County section of the Cross-border Electrification Project, and precise operations started in 2018.
The present electrical energy tariffs had been agreed upon between LEC and JEP throughout the negotiation of the PPA in 2016. The tariff is made up of cost of US$ 0.01465 per kilowatt- hour billed by CIE for electrical energy provided, LEC expenses and costs of US$ 0.01/kWh on every unit bought and the steadiness quantity is allotted for JEP’s working bills.
The new permitted electrical energy tariffs will go into impact in February 2023. In 2021, JEP obtained a Large Micro Utility Distribution License from the Commission to distribute electrical energy from CIE to communities in Nimba County.
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