Major US electric utility climate pledges have the potential to collectively reduce power sector emissions by one-third

Consequent to power sector reforms, customers' satisfaction is gaining vital importance at power distribution companies. Customers are now getting a choice of choosing their electricity supplier as well as options of investing in their own power generating equipment. The threat of losing customers is driving power distribution companies towards ensuring customer satisfaction. Apart from availability of electricity supply on a 24 / 7 basis, electricity customers now expect ease in getting new electricity connection, advice on most suitable category of supply, timely meter reading, billing, and handling of grievance. To provide customers with great satisfaction, power distribution companies have to give quality attention to offering excellent services that attracts customers and clear up all customers' complaints. Frontline managers play a very significant role in the electric utility companies. They act as an inter-face between the customers / public and the company. This chapter attempts to elaborate customers' expectations from the frontline managers in power distribution companies.

Download Full-text

Generating power and controversy: Understanding Tanzania’s independent power projects

Journal of Energy in Southern Africa ◽

10.17159/2413-3051/2006/v17i4a3205 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 17 (4) ◽

pp. 39-56 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

K Gratwick ◽

R Ghanadan ◽

A Eberhard

Keyword(s):

Electric Utility ◽

Power Sector ◽

Construction Costs ◽

Sector Reform ◽

Private Sector Investment ◽

Company Limited ◽

Generation Capacity ◽

Gas Market ◽

The Government ◽

Development Outcomes

Initially conceived of within the broader context of power sector reform in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Independent Power Projects (IPPs) were intended to relieve state utilities of the burden of financing new plants, bring quick, quality power and reduce costs for end-users. Although IPPs have indeed contributed to generation capacity in Tanzania, much of the power that resulted from investments has been supplied neither quickly nor cheaply. Embarking on power sector reform in the early 1990s, Tanzania made IPPs a pillar of its reform strategy. Presently, Songas and IPTL, the country’s two IPPs are helping to reduce load shedding. However, these projects have not been without controversy. One of Tanzania’s IPPs was taken to international arbitration over a dispute related to construction costs. The state electric utility, Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO), currently pays more than 50% of its current revenue towards combined fuel and capacity charges for the IPPs. Capacity charges for the country’s two IPPs are equivalent to approximately one percent of GDP. The Government of Tanzania (GoT) is intervening to assist TANESCO with its monthly IPP payments at present. With twenty-year Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) between IPPs and TANESCO, these costs are expected to continue, albeit with some modifications due to refinancing, fuel conversion and further development of the natural gas market. This paper provides a detailed summary of how and why IPPs developed in Tanzania as well as their impact to date. Development outcomes, namely the extent to which the host country is benefiting from reliable, affordable power and investment outcomes, the degree to which investors have made favourable returns and been able to expand market share, are analysed in turn. IPPs offer more than a decade of experiences in private sector investment in developing countries and a detailed understanding of them may be the key to unlocking and sustaining future power investment.

Download Full-text

Reforms, Restructuring, and Infrastructure Sector: A Study of Initiatives in Orissa Power Sector

Vikalpa The Journal for Decision Makers ◽

10.1177/0256090920000403 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 25 (4) ◽

pp. 11-26 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

A Thillai Rajan

Keyword(s):

Business Processes ◽

Electric Utility ◽

The State ◽

Power Sector ◽

Sector Reform ◽

Reform Programme ◽

Key Features ◽

The Government ◽

Regulatory Commission ◽

And Function

In 1994, the Government of Orissa initiated power sector reforms and restructuring. The reform programme resulted in vertical unbundling of the state-owned integrated electric utility, corporatization of the resultant entities, and constitution of an autonomous regulatory commission for power sector regulation in the state. One of the key features of the reform programme was the privatization of distribution activity. To make the process successful and obtain more revenues, there was a need for the distribution entities to change the existing culture and approach to management. The Government of Orissa undertook a process of organizational strengthening to develop appropriate organizational structure, systems, and business processes suitable to the new environment. This study describes the various strengthening measures implemented by Grid Corporation of Orissa to make it commercially viable and function effectively in the new environment following power sector reform.

Download Full-text