News

Ekiti Government Working on Independent Power Supply

By Web News 363

Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State, has disclosed that the state will be powered through the 3.5MW Independent Power Plant Project in September to drive economic growth.

Oyebanji said this in Omuo-Ekiti, headquarters of Ekiti East Local government Area while giving an account of stewardship at a stakeholders’ engagement program to mark his 300 days in office.

He noted that the 3.5MW Independent Power Plant project is 90 percent completed to supply light to government offices and tertiary institutions in Ado Ekiti and suburbs, saying this would rectify the epileptic power supply being experienced in some sections of the state.

His words: “We are reconnecting Ikogosi, Erijiyan, and Ikogosi Resort Centre back to the national grid to enhance the state tourism corridor. We need N1 billion to reconnect Ayekire, Ekiti East Local governments, and their LCDAs after 10 years of darkness as well as the Agriculture Processing Zone at Ikole back to the national grid.

“We have installed solar lights at the Atikankan area of Ado Ekiti to light up the area and checkmate criminals who were using the spot as a criminal hideout. This government has extended the 33KV at Omisanjana Transmission Substation to Baptist High School and connection of Ilawe 33KV line with Erinjiyan-Ikogosi.”

Vanguard/Taiwo Akinola

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Power

“Power Supply Will Drop, Come Wednesday” – TCN 

By Web News 866

Power supply will drop by 50 megawatts on Wednesday.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria, in a statement on Monday, said the drop would be as a result of planned annual “preventive maintenance” on the line bay at Lekki Transmission Substation in Lagos.

During the maintenance period, about 50MW will be interrupted, affecting power supply to Lekki phase 1, Oniru, Elegushi, Waterfront, Igbo Efon and Twenty-first Century Estate in Lagos state.

“TCN regrets all inconvenience this might cause electricity consumers in the affected area,” the statement said.

The announcement came on the heels of a promise by the Nigerian electricity Regulatory Commission to deliver at least 5000MW of electricity to Nigerians starting from July 1.

Report showed that peak generation as of 3:24 PM on Monday was put at 3, 967MW, while the lowest generation was 3, 539MW, according to statistics from the Nigerian Electricity System Operator, NESO.

The NERC had responded to a widespread public clamour following consistent system collapsing of the power grid, over four incidents recorded so far this year.
According to the commission, all hands are on deck to ensure boost in power generation and supply to electricity consumers, adding that all stakeholders, including gas firms had signed binding contracts to the effect.

“Although there have been contracts in the past, they were not binding and the parties could decide not to honour them. But with the new agreement, we would make sure no party defaults once the contracts are signed. Whoever defaults will be held responsible and will be sanctioned”, NERC Chairman, Garba Sanusi had said during a media parley in Lagos.

However, a metering expert, Sesan Okunade, said  that power generation was not what Nigeria should be battling to solve at the moment.

“We have generated more than this before that have been sold to neighboring countries. Our problem is transmission and the Disco whose infrastructure is not capable of withholding the supply if more power is transmitted from the Genco. Some of the reasons for system collapse is the excess kilowatt not being collected by Disco due the technical and commercial loss.”

He said NERC should mandate the Disco on good connection policy devoid of the curweb currently in the network so that energy will be well accounted for; adding that this will assist in knowing if more is to be transmitted to such Disco.

“Good connection policy and investment in transformers to replace the obsolete one will assist in what is being generated to be effectively received by Discos”, he added.

Experts say Nigeria needs at least 30, 000MW to attain power sufficiency.

National President, Electricity Consumers Association of Nigeria, Barrister Chijioke James, questioned why NERC should still set a target of 5000MW when Nigerian consumers were told years ago that the generation capacity was over 6000MW.

“We are therefore surprised that in 2022 NERC is promising delivery of 5000MW.

This does not give consumers confidence that the current situation will change for the better soonest”, he said.

Punch /Taiwo Akinola

News Analysis

Power Supply, what is the way forward?

By Web News 1446

In this piece, Tayo Sanni writes on the way forward to the worsening electricity supply in Nigeria.

Those who bought the power holding company of Nigeria, PHCN, and turned it into Electricity Distribution Companies owe Nigerians one vital explanation.

They must tell the people what has happened with the discos since the ownership changed hand.

Yes, this has become imperative because the cry of ‘give us electricity’, ‘restore power supply’, we are tired of darkness’ and ‘where is electricity‘ are some of the popular slogans in the mouth of Nigerians.

Successive Governments in Nigeria have spent billions of naira to fix the power sector without any tangible result.

Up to this moment, in almost all parts of Nigeria, supply of electricity is epileptic and nothing to write home about darkness pervades everywhere.

Lack of regular electricity supply has brought sadness to millions of Nigerians and paralysed socio economic activities.

While some countries like Ghana are giving good testimony about constant supply of electricity, it is not the same in Nigeria.

Yet, electricity distribution companies keep bringing crazy and highly inflated bills every month for services not provided to the consumers.

It is a shame that Nigerians still live in darkness in the 21st century.

Yet, year in, year out, the Federal Government increased electricity tariff making Nigerians pay more for the inefficiency of some stakeholders in the power sector.

To this end, efforts should be concentrated to improve power supply and save Nigerians from total darkness.

Nigerians felt highly relieved with the privatisation of the energy sector not knowing that unending agony and lamentation over poor electricity supply had just begun.

This is quite unfortunate Nigerians deserve right to be served well.

As citizens, they should have equal access to power like citizens of other countries.

Corruption in the power sector which has been a clog in the wheel of progress should be tackled for a stable electricity supply in the country.

Nigerians are yet to adequately benefit from the democratic dispensation, especially in the power sector which is key to industrialization.

If the Federal Government fixes the country’s electricity problem, seventy-five percent of unemployed graduates will have jobs and become employers of labour.

Solar energy as an alternative source of electricity should also be pursued vigorously and made available to people at affordable price.