Business
Afam To Inject 138MW To National Grid
The management of Afam Power Plc in Rivers State, has announced plans to inject additional 138 megawatts to the national grid.
The Chief Executive Officer of the company, Engineer Adebusola Awaiye disclosed this in Port Harcourt when the House of Representatives Committee on Power visited the Afam Power Station.
Engineer Awaiye appealed to the committee to help in facilitating an increase in the power station’s 2011 budget allocation to enable it achieve the feat.
He revealed that Messrs SIEMENS AG has been contacted and will arrive in less than six months for a major overhaul that would last between five to eight months.
“This will increase our standing in the grid, bring more revenue to our purse for the survival of the station and help to stabilize the grid network,” he said.
The company boss explained that the power plant, which started in 1962, has been a power supplier linked to the national grid but unfortunately Afam I, II, and III have been decommissioned due to old age and obsolete equipment.
Chairman of the House Committee on Power, Hon. Patrick Ikhariale said the committee was visiting power stations across the country to acquaint itself on the current status of the stations.
Hon. Ikhariale restated the commitment of the Federal Government towards improving the power situation in the country in view of the key role of power to the socio-economic development of Nigeria.
He promised that the committee will make sure that the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) will get its deserved allocation in the 2011 budget.
The committee, which arrived Rivers State from Akwa Ibom, the chairman said, has discovered that most transformers were bad, adding that Federal Government has started delivering transformers to most stations.
Another member of the committee, Hon. Chris Berewari, representing Andoni Federal Constituency in Rivers, urged PHCN workers to take their work seriously and to always show more commitment in the protection of equipment to enable government achieve its plans.
He noted that Federal Government has engaged some competent independent power companies to initiate new ideas towards better power supply in the country.
The committee promised to relay its findings and requests from Afam Power Plc to the Federal Government to guide its actions.
Chris Oluoh