#NERC update service

[reportafrique]

Federal Government to Extend Electricity Subsidy Amid Economic Challenges, Confirms NERC Chairman

In a press conference held in Abuja on Wednesday, Mr. Sanusi Garba, the Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), declared the government's ongoing commitment to subsidizing electricity to alleviate financial hardships faced by Nigerians amidst economic difficulties. Garba stated, "Government has decided, for now, arising from the cost-of-living crisis and other challenges, to continue subsidizing electricity." He emphasized that the recently published tariff order by the commission does not propose an increase in tariffs but outlines the charges permitted for Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos). "In the tariff order, you will also see the amount of subsidy the government will be providing to cover the gap between what DisCos will charge and what they are allowed to charge," Garba added. The updated tariff aims to align with government policy, ensuring that DisCos can sustain their operations while meeting financial obligations. Garba highlighted opportunities for states created by the 2023 Electricity Act, allowing them to enact laws and take responsibility for electricity delivery within their franchise areas. Acknowledging the financial challenges faced by DisCos in metering customers, Garba noted the negative impact on the metering rate due to difficulties in securing capital from banks. He reassured the commission's commitment to collaborating with states and maintaining public utilities to provide essential services to Nigerians. Despite recent indications from DisCos about potential tariff increases, the National Assembly has rejected such proposals, citing the already high cost of living. With the inflation rate reaching 28.92% in December 2023 – the highest in 27 years – further electricity tariff hikes are feared to worsen the existing cost-of-living crisis across the country. Read the full article

[quality-thoughts]

This year join other Energy & Utility Entities like you and select AssurX to help maintain your enterprise's Quality and NERC Compliance. Learn more about AssurX today! https://www.assurx.com/ Stay up-to-date and subscribe to the AssurX blog: https://www.assurx.com/blog/ Follow us: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/assurxinc/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/assurxinc/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/assurxenergy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/assurx Whether on-premise or in the Cloud, The AssurX platform is a versatile system of software solutions for quality management and NERC compliance to reliably communicate and coordinate information, documentation, and activities across the enterprise. AssurX allows regulated businesses to easily identify and control risk exposure and avoid quality or noncompliance problems while improving workflow. It is uniquely configurable to fit any established or dynamic business requirements. The system creates an electronic workflow of tasks, alerts, escalations, and approvals that can be automated to the desired level, mapping precisely to real-world operations. Begin with just the solutions and functionality you need now, then implement what you like whenever you’re ready. No other system is easier to deploy, configure and modify. Key Functionality: NERC Reliability Compliance PRC System Maintenance Compliance Evidence Management CIP Access Management Internal Controls Assessment Certification Management https://www.assurx.com/energy-utilities/ CAPA Management: https://www.assurx.com/corrective-and-preventive-action-software/ NERC Reliability Standards Update Service: https://www.assurx.com/wp-content/uploads/resources/brochures/assurx-nerc-update-service-ds.pdf Audit Management: https://www.assurx.com/audit-management-software/ Enterprise Risk Management: https://www.assurx.com/risk-management-software/ Training Management: https://www.assurx.com/training-management-software/ Patch Management: https://www.assurx.com/patch-management-software/ Regulatory Compliance Management: https://www.assurx.com/compliance-management-software/ Document Management: https://www.assurx.com/document-management-software/ Supply Chain Management: https://www.assurx.com/supplier-quality-management-software/ With decades of expertise built into our quality management and regulatory compliance software, the AssurX Platform helps companies maintain quality and compliance standards, streamline workflow, control risk and better manage any enterprise. Our incredibly configurable software and deep understanding of users’ needs produce a unique system that easily adapts as your business evolves. AssurX is an ideal partner for regulated companies looking for better operational control and efficiency while staying compliant. Schedule a demo today! https://www.assurx.com/demo-request/

[provencompliance]

NERC compliance services

Don't risk harming your business due to non-compliance with NERC! Reach out to us for your NERC compliance, and we can help you. Our team is continually updated on the latest requirements and can help you achieve your compliance.

[upshotre]

Licence cancellation: FG gives Discos December 7 deadline

By Tony Ademiluyi Power distribution companies have till December 7 to submit their written responses providing reasons why their licences should not be cancelled, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission declared on Tuesday. In an updated document on the notice of hearing on the petitions by Discos on the Minor Review and Minimum Remittance Order dated November 5, 2019, and obtained from the commission in Abuja, the power sector regulator also outlined additional expectations from the Discos. The commission had issued a cancellation notice to eight power distribution companies in October this year and mandated them to respond within 60 days, otherwise their licences would be cancelled. It named the eight firms as Abuja, Benin, Enugu, Ikeja, Kaduna, Kano, Port Harcourt and Yola Discos. The Discos, according to the NERC, breached the terms and conditions of their respective distribution licences based on the provisions of Electric Power Sector Reform Act and the 2016 – 2018 Minor Review of Multi Year Tariff Order and Minimum Remittance Order for the Year. “The cancellation notice remains extant and the eight Discos are still required to show cause in writing within 60 days from the date of receipt thereof as to why their licences should not be cancelled in accordance with section 74 of EPSRA,” the commission stated. It noted that the eight recipients of the cancellation notice who filed petitions against the Minor Review and Minimum Remittance Order had acknowledged that their petitions did not constitute their written response to the cancellation notice. The regulator added, “The deadline for the submission of written response showing cause against the cancellation notice by the eight Discos is December 7, 2019.” On other demands from the Discos, the commission said it expected the eight power firms to address the issue of “optimal utilisation of resources” and “efficient operation” imposed by sections 32 and 76 of EPSRA, respectively, in their written responses to the cancellation notice. The commission also stated that it expected the eight Discos to address the principles of “prudence” and “used and useful” as further justification of optimal utilisation of resources for efficient operations in the areas of general procurement practices, related party transactions, and directors’ fees and expenses. Others include technical partners from takeover to date, material and contingent liabilities, utilisation of intervention, fund received from the Federal Government, efforts to date to address customer complaints and improvement of overall willingness to pay for services. The NERC further stated that the Discos must show analysis of capital and recurrent expenditure, metering and billing of maximum demand customers, metering and billing of MDAs, payments for technical and management fees, purchase and utilisation of foreign exchange and remittances on market obligations from date of takeover to date. Power distributors  are the designated revenue collection agents for the entire value chain in the industry, as they interface with end-user customers. The eight Discos have been unable to meet the minimum remittance thresholds specified in the Minor Review and Minimum Remittance Order.

Read the full article

[reportafrique]

Federal Government to Extend Electricity Subsidy Amid Economic Challenges, Confirms NERC Chairman

In a press conference held in Abuja on Wednesday, Mr. Sanusi Garba, the Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), declared the government's ongoing commitment to subsidizing electricity to alleviate financial hardships faced by Nigerians amidst economic difficulties. Garba stated, "Government has decided, for now, arising from the cost-of-living crisis and other challenges, to continue subsidizing electricity." He emphasized that the recently published tariff order by the commission does not propose an increase in tariffs but outlines the charges permitted for Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos). "In the tariff order, you will also see the amount of subsidy the government will be providing to cover the gap between what DisCos will charge and what they are allowed to charge," Garba added. The updated tariff aims to align with government policy, ensuring that DisCos can sustain their operations while meeting financial obligations. Garba highlighted opportunities for states created by the 2023 Electricity Act, allowing them to enact laws and take responsibility for electricity delivery within their franchise areas. Acknowledging the financial challenges faced by DisCos in metering customers, Garba noted the negative impact on the metering rate due to difficulties in securing capital from banks. He reassured the commission's commitment to collaborating with states and maintaining public utilities to provide essential services to Nigerians. Despite recent indications from DisCos about potential tariff increases, the National Assembly has rejected such proposals, citing the already high cost of living. With the inflation rate reaching 28.92% in December 2023 – the highest in 27 years – further electricity tariff hikes are feared to worsen the existing cost-of-living crisis across the country. Read the full article

[centuryassociates]

FERC Approves New Cybersecurity Standards for Supply Chain Risk Management

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) released a final rule approving three new Critical Infrastructure Protection (“CIP”) standards which address supply chain risk management for bulk electric systems (“BES”) operations.  The new standards were developed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (“NERC”) in response to FERC Order No. 829, which directed NERC to create new CIP standards to address risks associated with the supply chain for grid-related cyber systems.  The final rule will take effect sixty days after it is published in the Federal Register.  The new standards must be implemented in eighteen months.  More details regarding the new CIP standards, which may be of interest to entities that develop, implement, or maintain hardware or software for industrial control systems associated with bulk electric systems (“BES”), are provided below.

The three new CIP standards require responsible entities (such as distribution providers, generator owners and operators, and transmission owners and operators) to develop and implement security controls for industrial control system hardware, software, and services associated with BES operations.  FERC noted that these new standards respond to supply chain risks, including the insertion of counterfeit or malicious software, unauthorized production, tampering, and theft.

Specifically, the new CIP standards will impose the following high-level requirements:

Cyber Security – Supply Chain Risk Management: According to FERC, this standard “does not require any specific controls or mandate ‘one-size-fits-all’ requirements.” Instead, this standard requires the development of a documented supply chain cyber security risk management plan for higher-risk covered systems that addresses, as applicable, six “baseline” security concepts:

Vendor security event notification;

Coordinated incident response;

Vendor personnel termination notification;

Product/services vulnerability disclosures;

Verification of software integrity and authenticity; and

Coordination of vendor remote access controls.

Cyber Security – Electronic Security Perimeter(s): This standard will include two new requirements for identifying active vendor remote access sessions and having method(s) for disabling active vendor remote access sessions.

Cyber Security – Configuration Change Management and Vulnerability Assessments: Finally, this standard requires responsible entities to verify the “identity of the software source and the integrity of the software obtained from the software source” prior to any installing software that changes established baseline configurations, “when methods are available to do so.”  According to NERC, these requirements could help reduce the risk that an attacker could “exploit legitimate vendor patch management processes to deliver compromised software updates or patches to a [covered system].”

FERC directed NERC to develop modifications that will include Electronic Access Control and Monitoring Systems (“EACMS”) in the scope of the standards within twenty-four months.  EACMS include firewalls, authentication servers, security event monitoring systems, intrusion detection systems, and alerting systems.

FERC Approves New Cybersecurity Standards for Supply Chain Risk Management posted first on https://centuryassociates.blogspot.com/

[blog-pranjal-fan-blog]

Kerala floods LIVE: 324 lives lost, tweets CM; Kochi metro back on track

Murderous monsoon continues to wreak havoc across Kerala. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit state today. Track LIVE updates on Kerala weather at Business Standard.

Unprecedented rains continue to wreak havoc across Kerala, and have brought the coastal state to a standstill. "As many as 324 people have lost their lives due to rains, floods and landslides," tweeted chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

According to the Home Ministry's National Emergency Response Centre (NERC), 247 people have died in Kerala, while 2,11,000 people in 14 districts have been badly hit by the rains and floods, and over 32,500 hectares of crops damaged.

Personnel of the three services, besides the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) resumed the gigantic task of evacuating people stranded on rooftops and highlands where hills came crashing down blocking roads and cutting them off the rest of the world, and those marooned in villages that have turned into islands.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to reach the state Friday evening and is likely to undertake an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas on Saturday.

ALSO READ: Kerala floods: Death toll rises to 164, PM Modi to visit the state today

Here are the latest updates and developments on the Kerala flood situation

[mylucky137276]

Kerala floods live updates: Death toll rises; Modi to visit state today

Kerela Flood Live: Unprecedented rains continue to wreak havoc across Kerala, and have brought the coastal state to a standstill. As many as 247 people have lost their lives due to rains, floods and landslides.

According to the Home Ministry's National Emergency Response Centre (NERC), 247 people have died in Kerala, while 2,11,000 people in 14 districts have been badly hit by the rains and floods, and over 32,500 hectares of crops damaged.

Personnel of the three services, besides the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) resumed the gigantic task of evacuating people stranded on rooftops and highlands where hills came crashing down blocking roads and cutting them off the rest of the world, and those marooned in villages that have turned into islands.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to reach the state Friday evening and is likely to undertake an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas on Saturday.

Here are the latest updates and developments on the Kerala flood situation:

[caseinpoints]

SMA updates name of O&M service to SMA OPTIM

Inverter manufacturer SMA began offering plant-wide O&M services in 2013 and now manages a portfolio of more than 3.5 GW globally. The company announced today it is changing the name of its comprehensive commercial and utility solar O&M solution to SMA OPTIM.

SMA has more than 35 years of experience and 65+ GW installed globally, and has gained knowledge from supporting thousands of commercial, utility and storage projects.

SMA OPTIM professionals are certified by the ASNT (American Society of Non-Destructive Testing) and offer advanced inspection and thermal imaging services. SMA Aerial Thermography by its team of FAA-certified experts can detect issues down to the cell level, significantly decreasing the time spent identifying and diagnosing problems.

The company offers 24/7 remote monitoring through NERC/CIP-compliant Solar Monitoring Centers that analyze plant performance, detect potential issues and resolve matters remotely or will dispatch field service engineers to get systems back on track quickly.

Several OPTIM plans are avaialble. SMA OPTIM also includes individual services that can be flexibly integrated based on customer unique requirements.

News item from SMA

The post SMA updates name of O&M service to SMA OPTIM appeared first on Solar Power World.

[reportafrique]

Federal Government to Extend Electricity Subsidy Amid Economic Challenges, Confirms NERC Chairman

In a press conference held in Abuja on Wednesday, Mr. Sanusi Garba, the Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), declared the government's ongoing commitment to subsidizing electricity to alleviate financial hardships faced by Nigerians amidst economic difficulties. Garba stated, "Government has decided, for now, arising from the cost-of-living crisis and other challenges, to continue subsidizing electricity." He emphasized that the recently published tariff order by the commission does not propose an increase in tariffs but outlines the charges permitted for Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos). "In the tariff order, you will also see the amount of subsidy the government will be providing to cover the gap between what DisCos will charge and what they are allowed to charge," Garba added. The updated tariff aims to align with government policy, ensuring that DisCos can sustain their operations while meeting financial obligations. Garba highlighted opportunities for states created by the 2023 Electricity Act, allowing them to enact laws and take responsibility for electricity delivery within their franchise areas. Acknowledging the financial challenges faced by DisCos in metering customers, Garba noted the negative impact on the metering rate due to difficulties in securing capital from banks. He reassured the commission's commitment to collaborating with states and maintaining public utilities to provide essential services to Nigerians. Despite recent indications from DisCos about potential tariff increases, the National Assembly has rejected such proposals, citing the already high cost of living. With the inflation rate reaching 28.92% in December 2023 – the highest in 27 years – further electricity tariff hikes are feared to worsen the existing cost-of-living crisis across the country. Read the full article

[centuryassociates]

FERC Approves New Cybersecurity Standards for Supply Chain Risk Management

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) released a final rule approving three new Critical Infrastructure Protection (“CIP”) standards which address supply chain risk management for bulk electric systems (“BES”) operations.  The new standards were developed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (“NERC”) in response to FERC Order No. 829, which directed NERC to create new CIP standards to address risks associated with the supply chain for grid-related cyber systems.  The final rule will take effect sixty days after it is published in the Federal Register.  The new standards must be implemented in eighteen months.  More details regarding the new CIP standards, which may be of interest to entities that develop, implement, or maintain hardware or software for industrial control systems associated with bulk electric systems (“BES”), are provided below.

The three new CIP standards require responsible entities (such as distribution providers, generator owners and operators, and transmission owners and operators) to develop and implement security controls for industrial control system hardware, software, and services associated with BES operations.  FERC noted that these new standards respond to supply chain risks, including the insertion of counterfeit or malicious software, unauthorized production, tampering, and theft.

Specifically, the new CIP standards will impose the following high-level requirements:

Cyber Security – Supply Chain Risk Management: According to FERC, this standard “does not require any specific controls or mandate ‘one-size-fits-all’ requirements.” Instead, this standard requires the development of a documented supply chain cyber security risk management plan for higher-risk covered systems that addresses, as applicable, six “baseline” security concepts:

Vendor security event notification;

Coordinated incident response;

Vendor personnel termination notification;

Product/services vulnerability disclosures;

Verification of software integrity and authenticity; and

Coordination of vendor remote access controls.

Cyber Security – Electronic Security Perimeter(s): This standard will include two new requirements for identifying active vendor remote access sessions and having method(s) for disabling active vendor remote access sessions.

Cyber Security – Configuration Change Management and Vulnerability Assessments: Finally, this standard requires responsible entities to verify the “identity of the software source and the integrity of the software obtained from the software source” prior to any installing software that changes established baseline configurations, “when methods are available to do so.”  According to NERC, these requirements could help reduce the risk that an attacker could “exploit legitimate vendor patch management processes to deliver compromised software updates or patches to a [covered system].”

FERC directed NERC to develop modifications that will include Electronic Access Control and Monitoring Systems (“EACMS”) in the scope of the standards within twenty-four months.  EACMS include firewalls, authentication servers, security event monitoring systems, intrusion detection systems, and alerting systems.

FERC Approves New Cybersecurity Standards for Supply Chain Risk Management posted first on https://centuryassociates.blogspot.com/