Business

Solar, Not Major Source of Power – Minister

Published

14 years ago

December 7, 2009

Laner Babalola, Minister of Power has revealed that the government was not seriously looking at solar as a major source of power supply; “solar provides an insignificant portion of the power needs of countries and would not be explored as a major power option in Nigeria”, Babalola said. According to the minister, the landmass required for solar power generation, the cost involved and the quality of light produced are major challenges.

Solar panels are best for the few houses surrounding each, solar light is not as efficient as other sources of light, solar is not very bright for mass use. Moreover, the equipment needed to trap the light are not everlasting. In the places where we have seen solar in use across the world, they are not a major solution to power supply”, he stated. In this place, he continued solar provides an insignificant one percent of total power requirement. To generate 2000MW of electricity from solar, you need a landmass of about 65 square kilometers, twice the size of Abuja to install panels, landmass is a major issue in solar power generation.

The minister was speaking while being conducted round the facilities of the Guregu power plant, Kogi State.

The Guregu power plant, Kogi State is plagued with gas supply crisis which could further undermine the government’s 600mw power generation target.

The government, according to the minister has given the managers of the stations up to this year end to solve its gas supply issue once and for all, stressing that government would no longer sit back and allow its power plants rot away because of gas supply crisis.

The minister advised that they should start looking at the gas issue from a different perspective, adding that the target should aim at sorting out the gas issue and get the plant to perform to full capacity. “If you don’t have a good framework in place, Geregu would just be a wasting asset. Get this done between now and December, if there is anything that we in Abuja need to do, please let us know quickly”, he remarked.

It would be recalled that the construction of Geregu 414mw gas turbine plants comprising a total of 3X 138mw simple cycle siemens V94.2 gas turbine units was completed in 2006, commissioned in February 2007 and went into operation in June 2007.

Gas has remained an issue with the station, which has hardly produced above 100mw since inception.

According to Mr. Monima Stanley-Idum, Head of Station at Geregu power station, all the three units are available but due mainly to gas supply constraints present generation is limited to serving an Island part of Kogi, Ondo, Delta and Edo States for one unit with a maximum load of 100MW, utilising an average of 25 million standard cubic feet per day. The gas supply for the 114mw capacity of the plant is put at 105 million standard cubic feet per day. He assured however, that the three units will contribute a minimum of 350mw towards the 6000mw target in December, were we are tied to the national grid. The challenges we face in spite of our 100 per cent availability are the issues of grid stability, commensurate with the design of the plant to utilise the maximum capacity of the plant and shortage in gas supply coupled with inadequate staff housing. Another issue plaguing the plant, it was gathered is the inability of government to upgrade the 30MVA transmission station at Ajaokuta to 60MVA to aid transmission of power generation from the plant.

On the current power generation, Babalola stressed that 3500mw was currently being generated, transmitted and distributed. He assured that the system would ensure that 6000MW of electricity exist and is available by the end of December 2009.

Business

Fuel Scarcity: IPMAN threatens shutdown over bridging claims

Published

5 hours ago

May 3, 2024

The Tide

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Depot Chairmen Forum, has exonerated its members from the current fuel scarcity in the country.

According to IPMAN, this is caused by its inability to source petroleum products.

The IPMAN Depot Chairmen Forum also threatened to withdraw its services over non-payment of N200 billion bridging claims by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to its members, since 2022.

Alhaji Yahaya Alhassan, the Chairman, of the Forum said this while briefing newsmen in Abuja, yesterday.

Alhassan said the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) was the sole importer of the product, but the marketers could not source products from NNPC Ltd. deport, rather from the private depots at high rate.

“We cannot buy fuel from the private depots at N950 and transport the product from Lagos to the North and other parts of the country with N2 million and still sell it at N900 or N1, 000.

“It is expedient for us to state that we are more pained by the non-availability of petroleum products in the country, which has given rise to another round of untold hardship for Nigerians.

“Contrary to claims that IPMAN members are hoarding Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) known as fuel, we would like to categorically state that PMS scarcity is wholly triggered by inability to get fuel from NNPC and not IPMAN,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, the NNPC Ltd. Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye said the disruption was due to logistical issues which had since been resolved.

“We currently have an availability of products exceeding 1.5 billion litres, which can last for at least 30 days. Unfortunately, we experienced a three-day disruption in distribution due to logistical issues, which has since been resolved.

“However, as you know, overcoming such disruptions typically requires double the amount of time to return to normal operations.

“Some folks are taking advantage of this situation to maximise profits. Thankfully, product scarcity has been minimal lately, but these folks might be exploiting the situation for unwarranted gain,’’ Soneye said.

He however, said the lines would clear out soon.

On the non-payment of bridging claims, the IPMAN forum said it was distressed and depressed by the laidback attitude of the NMDPRA towards the survival its member’s businesses, arising from its refusal in paying the claims.

“It is with deep frustration that we have assembled here today as the IPMAN Depot Chairmen Forum. It is also disheartening to note that some of our members have completely shut down businesses and retrenched employees.

“As businessmen and women, our members acquired bank loans to keep their fuel retail outlets running on a daily basis across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria in order to serve the teeming population of Nigerians,’’ Alhassan said.

He recalled that Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil), at a stakeholders meeting in February mandated the NMDPRA management to clear the entire debt in 40 days.

“However, today, we have crossed the 40 days’ time lapse given to the NMDPRA to clear the debt, and it is shameful to state that only the paltry sum of N13 billion has been paid, ignoring minister’s directive.

“We are not happy with the indiscriminate increment in the issuance and renewal of Sales and Storage Licence, by the NMDPRA, and the subsequent delays in acquiring the licence, which our members are recently subjected to.

“We are also calling on President Bola Tinubu to look into this unwholesome figure which is highly detrimental to our business and reverse it forthwith, as it is bound to impact negatively on the masses.

“We are poised to take far reaching decisions that may cripple the supply and sales of petroleum products across Nigeria if our demands are not met within the shortest period of time.

“We are collectively prepared to withdraw our services, shut down every single outlet, and suspend lifting of products forthwith till our demands are fully met, and the consequences will be terrible.

“We call on our members to however remain resolute and law abiding, even as we draw close to the immediate ultimatum for our demands to be met by the NMDPRA,’’ the chairman said.

Reacting to the IPMAN’s claims, the Acting Head, Corporate Communications, NMDPRA, Seiyefa Osanebi said the bridging claims payment was ongoing.

“The bridging claims payment is always an ongoing process,” she said.

Maritime

Shippers’ Council Registers 160 Port Operators

Published

4 days ago

April 29, 2024

The Tide

The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) says it has registered 160 Port stakeholders into its Regulated Port Service Provider and Users platform since the initiative began in 2023.
Executive Secretary, NSC, Mr Pius Akutah, made the disclosure on the sideline of a sensitisation programme by the commission for port operators in Lagos, with the theme, “Regulated Port Service Provider and Users”.
Represented by the Director, Consumer Affairs, Chief Cajetan Agu, Akutah emphasised the significance of the programme for stakeholders.
He said the sensitisation programme was the second edition after its commencement during the last quarter of 2023.
The Secretary said the 160 registered port operators consist of agencies, terminal operators, shipping companies, individual port users as well as service providers.
“We invited the ports stakeholders for enlightening them on the processes for online registration of Regulated Port Service Provider and Users.
“We have demonstrated to them how to register and how to make payment and we were able to present before them the various categories of the registration.
“The rate of payment is also in the registration. The payment of each group depends on the operation. A shipper pays N30,000, terminal operators and shipping companies pay N300,000, truckers also pay N30,000, while some pay N50,000 and N100,000.
“The Council was able to intimate them on the benefits, because port users benefit more as we help to interface on reducing port charges from time to time”, Akutah said.
He said that there was a need to continue to work with port operators to stop delays and eliminate high costs to make the port efficient.
Also speaking, the Deputy Director, Stakeholders, Service, NSC, Mr Celestine Akujobi, said “the sensitisation exercise was important for the council to enable us bring all the port stakeholders together”.
According to him, this is to avoid challenges during the implementation of the council’s responsibilities.
“By the time we introduce sanctions on defaulters, no operators will complain that he or she is not aware of the registration.
“I’m happy with the turnout of this sensitisation. This shows that the operators are well informed of the statutory friction of the council as the port regulator.
“The final implementation will commence as soon as we discover that all the operators have keyed into the portal.
“We are engaging other ports across the country and we’re hopeful that before the last quater of 2024, the council will implement sanctions on defaulting operators”, Akujobi said.
Earlier, Vice Chairman, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwards (NAGAFF), Dr Ifeanyi Emoh, said port challenges were enormous, adding that they originated from some of the government agencies.

Emoh urged the council to look into regulating other government agencies, so that there could be a window through which they can collect port charges collectively instead of indiscriminately.

By: Chinedu Wosu