NDPHC Assures On New Projects

In a bid to improve power supply in the country, Niger Delta
Power Holding Company (NDPHC) says it will continue to commission new project
every month across the country until the end of this year.

NDPHC Managing
Director, Mr. James Olotu, made the disclosre during the inauguration of a
newly built 150 MVA transmission facility at Ikeja West in Lagos recently.

Olotu, however, pointed out that the issue of gas supply has
become very challenging though it was being addressed from the highest quarter.

His words: “The President,
Vice President, Ministers of Petroleum Resources and Power, and all
stakeholders sit on daily basis over this issue. All efforts are being put in
place through this integrated mechanism to ensure that some emergency gas is
delivered between now and December.

“The Nigeria Gas Company has said between 300 million
standard cubic feet (mscf) and 500 mscf would be made available under the
emergency period and would be dedicated to NIPP Power Plants. If we get that we
will get more power into the grid. This intervention is aimed at enhancing the
efficiency of power delivery”.

According to him, Alaoji which is a 1074 MW Plant after
completion with two units out of six ready will be wheeled into the grid though
this is subject to availability of gas.

He also disclosed that government was taking steps to
rehabilitate dysfunctional power stations to make them effective.

“We have had shortages of capacity at the generation,
transmission and distribution ends and the population of Nigeria is increasing,
which calls for more supply”, he noted.

Meanwhile, available data from The Power Holding Company of
Nigeria (PHCN) facilities and the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) has
shown that power generation capacity would exceed 7,000 megawatts (MW) by the
end of this year.

Olotu, who also super intends the NIPP disclosed that the
NIPP plant would supply at least 2500 MW by the end of this year while
generation from the PHCN facilities stood at 4477 MW as at August ending.

With the effort being made by the government to rehabilitate
dysfunctional units like Egbin and other power plants and the NDPHC also
working to bring on stream new units from its power plants it is expected that
generation would exceed’ the current targeted combined generation of 6977MW.

Olotu also said four out of the ten plants supervised by
NDPHC were in operation and they generate 1150 MW into the national grid. The
four plants are Olorunsogo in Ogun State, Omotosho in Ondo State, Sapele in
Delta State and Alaoji in Abia State.

He said the improvement of power supply would be sustainable
and added that the NIPP would from henceforth, be inaugurating a new power
facility either for generation, transmission or distribution every month.

Vivian-Peace Nwinaene