The Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission, with support from the MCCU Threshold Program’s Regulatory Strengthening and Tariff Determination Support project, had drafted an Interim Electricity Grid Code for the governance of the activities of the electricity grid. The draft code, however, needed to be reviewed and further inputs by the stakeholders in the electricity sector with a view to properly outline and understand the roles and responsibilities of the different grid participants and stakeholders.
The Grid Code review sessions have provided the platform where stakeholders in the sector have made their contributions and expert opinions on the topics covered in the Code.
The Committee, comprising of members from the Generation and Transmission utility, Independent Power Producers (IPPs), Distribution utility, large-scale customers, the regional Transmission utility, the Sierra Leone Institution of Engineers, the Ministry of Energy, the PPP Unit, the Electrical Engineering department of Fourah Bah College – USL, the SL Standards Bureau, the Ministry of Justice and the Commission.
The review sessions have so far dealt with Grid Code Governance and General Provisions, Network Planning Principles, Power System Operation and Demand Forecasting, Metering, Information Exchange, Dispute Resolution, amongst others. The most recent work session held on 25th November, 2020 dealt with the Distribution Network Operations with an objective to define the fundamental procedures and rules for connecting to the distribution network, the technical requirements for the safe and reliable operation of the distribution network, and the reciprocal obligations of participants with regard to the provision and exchange of planning, operational and maintenance information on the Distribution Network, amongst others.
Subsequent review sessions, including a session on the Integration of Variable Renewable Energy Plants into the Grid, are to follow in the near future to complete the draft document.
