‘$1.66bn From Int’l Donors Has Increased Power Generation’

The Managing Director of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Alhaji Usman Mohammed, says the 1.66 billion dollars  received from international donors has increased generation capacity in the country.
The Tide recalls that reports that TCN recently received 1.66 billion dollars from multi-lateral donors to boost power supply in the country.
Mohammed disclosed this at the Nigeria electricity awareness walk, organised by TCN and Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited in conjunction with other Nigerian electricity industry stakeholders in Abuja, at the weekend.
He said that the capacity was less than 4,000MW but increased to over 7,500MW, which also increased the distribution capacity from about 3,500MW to 5,375MW in the highest peak in February.
”There is need to sustain investment in the sector especially in distribution segment, careful investment planning, regulatory consistency and transparency,’’ he said.
He said United Nations’ SDGs classified infrastructure along industry and innovation as goal number nine, while availability of clean and affordable energy was made to stand alone as goal number seven.
Mohammed said power stands out as the most important infrastructure, adding that many citizens knowingly or ignorantly were contributing to the crisis confronting the sector.
He attributed the poor development of the sector to vandalism of power infrastructure, building under power lines, preventing acquisition of power line right of way (ROW), among others.
He also said that electricity theft through illegal connection, meter by-pass and the refusal to pay electricity bills by consumers was a challenge for the sector.
Mohammed said the objective of the walk was to highlight the need for all Nigerians to appreciate sustainable development and growth of the Nigeria electricity industry as a national issue.
He said the electricity awareness walk was also targeted at ensuring that every Nigerian understood his or her role in the development of the electricity industry.
”Electricity industry is key to the sustainable development of the nation. Power infrastructure is expensive and requires extensive planning,” he said.
The Managing Director of Mainstream Energy Solutions, Mr Lamu Audu, who also took part in the awareness walk, said the country‘s economic development and electricity synergy were the same.