Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The President of Benin, Mr. Patrice Talon, recently launched the much-awaited ECOWAS Regional Electricity Market in Cotonou.
The launch was the climax of a series of high-level meetings held in Cotonou, all geared towards the official launching of the power market.
They included the meeting of ERERA’s Consultative Committees of Regulators and Operators, ERERA’s 6th Regulatory Forum and the meeting of Ministers of Energy from ECOWAS Member States to fine-tune arrangements for the take-off of the electricity market.
The official launch of the market was preceded by an information and sensitization mission across ECOWAS 14 mainland Member States to declare the status of readiness for the regional market and that the market would be operated according to international standards and practice.
At a colourful ceremony witnessed by key players in the electricity sector in West Africa, including Mauritania and representatives of development partners, President Talon, represented by Benin’s Senior Minister of Planning and Development, Mr. Abdoulaye Bio Tchané, declared the market open.
His declaration was preceded by a statement by the Chairman of ERERA, Professor Honoré Bogler, that all the conditions precedent for the launch of the regional electricity market had been met and that the ERERA Regulatory Council assented to the launch of the market, according to ECOWAS regulations.
Following his statement, Professor Bogler handed over the signed ERERA declaration to the Chairman of the West African Power Pool (WAPP), Mr. Usman Gur Mohammed who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).