……Says Power situation must change significantly
Permanent Secretary, Power, Amb. (Dr.) Godknows Igali, has adduced the steady increase in power supply recently experienced in the country to the fact that Mr. President has charged Power Sector actors to redouble their efforts, by leaving no stone unturned in the quest of ensuring uninterrupted power supply to Nigerians during his tenure.
Amb. Igali, while signing Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with two indigenous investors in the power sector – Messrs. New Horizons Energy Resources and Quaint Global Energy Solutions, interested in renewable projects, especially Solar, Biomass and Thermal Plant respectively.
Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary said that the recent increase in power supply is not as a result of rain, as speculated in some quarters, as marginal improvement from our hydro cannot be responsible for this fact, but it is as a result of increase in gas supply to the thermal plants, adding that our Anti-Vandalism Campaign is also yielding positive results.
To sustain this trend, the Permanent Secretary said the present administration is determined to look in the direction of renewables, hence more emphasis will be placed on solar energy source.
He reasoned that with clusters of solar plants built across the country, technical losses occasioned by hauling of energy over long distances will be reduced, as just this renewable source can be deplored effectively. Captive Power in embedded manner will also be available to Discos at the distribution levels.
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He commended these companies for working with the Ministry and the Government in the development of mini power generation and micro grid, insisting that all these efforts will translate into power stability and reliability.
Ambassador Igali announced that the Transmission Company of Nigeria is working on those critical corridors that would enhance the nation’s transmission capacity, enough to evacuate all energy to be produced now that more gas will be available to the thermal plants.
Seun Solesi, of Quaint Global Energy Solutions, informed the Permanent Secretary that his company is to enjoy a grant of 1.3 million USD from the Obama Power Africa Initiative’s United States Trade Development Agency to carry out feasibility studies for its 50MW Solar Powered Plant in Machiok, Kaura L.G.A, Kaduna State. He said with these foreign partners the project is to start in earnest on the land of 150 hectares approved by Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
The representative of New Horizons said when their project come upstream, Nigerians will be recruited and trained in the U.S, while local materials for building the plant would be sourced within.
He said the plan of his company is to build 100MW Solar Power plant in Nasarawa State, 300 – 400MW of Biomass in Cross River and 300MW of Thermal in Rivers.
The Legal Adviser of the Ministry, Mrs. Adetutu Shoetan said that since the deregulation exercise began a number of serious companies and investors have shown interest, she said these projects that are captured in the MoUs are to be fully funded by the investors, they are also expected to train Nigerians thereby creating jobs for the nation’s teaming youths.
Timothy Oyedeji
Deputy Director (Press)
