The West African Power Pool WAPP Executive Board has held the final session of its meeting for the year 2024
Calling for a more determined effort by all parties to settle outstanding payments to ensure continued progress.
Addressing the Executive Board, the Chairman of the WAPP Executive Board the Managing Director of TCN, Dr. Sule Ahmed-Abdulaziz who stated this at the Executive Board Meeting held, ahead of the WAPP General Assembly in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, noted that the year 2024 has been the most remarkable progress achieved through collective resilience by WAPP member.
The collaborative efforts of the Board, Ahmed-Abdulaziz said has resulted in various strategic resolutions, which helped in driving key projects forward.
“Consequently, several priority projects, identified earlier in the year, have been concluded, while others are progressing”
The WAPP Chairman also acknowledged that the Pool has equally experienced challenges that have affected the organization’s financial standing.
Citing the global economic pressures and uncertainties that impacted the financial performance of many utilities, causing some traditionally reliable members to default in their contributions, the chairman emphasized that WAPP’s ability to meet its responsibilities.
“achieving its goals is directly tied to the financial support from its members, hence the need for a more determinedness effort by all parties to settle outstanding payments to ensure continued progress” he said.
Looking ahead, he outlined key developments to expect at the upcoming General Assembly, including the onboarding of a new Secretary General for the WAPP Secretariat.
Ahmed-Abdulaziz noted and underscored the importance of this transition, which is expected to further strengthen the organization’s leadership and strategic direction.
The assembly, he said, will also focus on advancing critical projects, including the synchronization project and the establishment of a resilient and competitive Power market across the region.
Presenting the 2024 Activity Report, WAPP’s Acting Secretary General, Abdul Nazif noted that WAPP under his watch has made several accomplishments, including the adoption of the Average Participation Methodology (APM) for transmission pricing, aimed at enhancing regional transmission efficiency successful commissioning of the OMVG and CLSG transmission lines, that has facilitated the synchronous operation of Areas 2 and 3 of the regional grid and the ongoing restructuring of the WAPP Secretariat, efforts, been made to align with the autonomy requirements of the System and Market Operator (SMO).
Speaking specifically on infrastructural progress amid Challenges, Nasif said that the construction of key transmission projects remains a priority.
He noted that the 225 kV Guinea-Mali line is progressing, while the 330 kV North Core Project (Nigeria-Niger-Benin/Togo-Burkina) faces delay due to security challenges in certain areas.
He however said that strategies have been put in place to enable work to move smoothly.
Addressing the meeting the Director of Ci-Energies, Mr. Noumory Sidibe stressed that the issue of governance within WAPP is crucial to ensuring its smooth operation.
Mr. Sidibe, said that it is important to further strengthen procedures and streamline expenditures to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
He assured of CI-ENERGIES’ full commitment to actively contribute, both within the Executive Council and the organizational committees, to move the Pool forward.
The 63rd WAPP Executive Board meeting focused on the significant progress made in advancing the objectives of the WAPP in enhancing the Regional Electricity Market (REM).
“This Executive Board meeting marks a critical moment in WAPP’s efforts to advance regional energy cooperation, setting the stage for continued success in the year ahead. The meeting was hosted by CI-ENERGIES in conjunction with CIE and TRANSCOCLSG, who supported logistics”. Mr. Sidibe added.
The West African Power Pool (WAPP) 19th session of its General Assembly, which will take place from November 25 to 29, 2024, at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire will focus on event, organized in collaboration with CI-ENERGIES, to bring together key stakeholders in the energy sector across West Africa to discuss progress in the integration of the regional electricity market and the challenges ahead.
This year’s theme, “Advancing the Regional Electricity Market: Overcoming Barriers and Building a Resilient Competitive Power Market,” underscores the critical importance of regional collaboration to achieve energy security and sustainable economic development in West Africa.
The WAPP General Assembly serves as a unique platform to:
Highlight the progress made toward achieving WAPP’s vision of creating an integrated and efficient regional electricity market.
Identify the key challenges hindering the full integration of the region’s electricity systems, such as technical constraints, regulatory inconsistencies, infrastructure gaps, and political barriers.
Define new strategizes for the organization to attaining the institution goals despite the identified barriers and strengthen collaboration between member states, regional institutions, and international partners.
The West African Power Pool WAPP is a cooperation of the National Electricity companies in Western Africa under the auspices of the Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS, founded in 2010.
The members of WAPP are working to establish a reliable power grid for the region and a common market for electricity.
Olusola Akintonde
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