NIPPs’ll Need 11 bscf Gas To Stabilise –Minister

Following the shaky na
ture of Nigeria’s Independent Power Plants (NIPPS), the minster of Power, Prof Chinedu Nebo, say about 11 billion standard cubic feet of gas was needed per day in order to stabilise the system.
He made this revelation last week while addressing participants at the annual conference of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) in Abuja.
Nebo told The Tide correspondent that the country’s daily power output was close to four gigawatts, representing about 3.1 gigawatts, powered by upto 880 million standard cubic feet regularly.
According to him, about 60 mmscf would be needed by NIPPs to maintain the size of OMOKU in Rivers State and other areas which have such large capacity.
He explained that the aim for the target on gas, was that it has the same importance like any other source of energy.
The minister, hinted that gas will retain a vintage position as fuel for the electricity industry, adding that it would fuel nearly 70 percent of the demand.
As a bail out for the shortfall in gas supply, and to meet up with the require demand, he urged for a radical approach to the exploitation on the available gas resources.
He also called on stakeholders in the power sector to do more on the traditional hybrid soruces in Niger Delta, and consider the marginal fields and the inland basins which include the Anambra, Bida basins and Benue Trough.
He stressed that the country gas growth power ought to be achieved through what he described as dedicated gas development.
It would be recalled that since the privatisliation of the power sector last year, electricity consumers are yet to enjoy steady power supply as promised by the concerned companies.