130 power transmission projects abandoned since 2002 – official

Dr Atiku Abubakar, Managing Director, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Sunday said that about 130 power transmission projects have been abandoned in the country since 2002 due to inadequate funds to execute them.

Abubakar made the disclosure at the electricity customer’s forum organised by the Eko Electricity Distribution Plc in Lagos.

He expressed positivity that the incumbent administration will ensure execution of the projects with a view to enabling the power sector add value to the lives of Nigerians.

According to him, one of the projects in Omotosho/Egbin KVA line, would be given priority attention in the 2017 budget.

“We have the capacity to generate 7,500 megawatts of electricity but we are faced with issues of gas challenge.

“The country power generation hover between 3,200 to 3,000 megawatts which was challenged due to inadequate gas supply,’’ he said.

Abubakar, however, regretted that the development could not be attained now causing generation to shrink to about 300 megawatts due to  gas constraint in the country.

According to him, the incumbent government is not perturbed by the current challenges facing the transmission segment of the nation’s power sector and determined  to turn the challenges to opportunities which would spur the growth of the sector.

In his remarks, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Power, Mr Daniel Asuquo, emphasised that the lower chamber is cooperating with the Federal Government to ensure the growth of the nation’s power sector.

Asuquo commended the new owners of Eko Electricity Distribution Company on the initiatives taken to improve the quantity, quality and reliability of power supply to its customers within its network despite the shortfall in power allocation from the national grid.

He said the initiative by the electricity distribution company, DISCO, to source for supplementary power through embedded generation options by ramping up excess power from existing captive generation within its license area and entering into bilateral agreements with Independent Power Providers would not only guarantee greater stability of supply but would also reduce the DISCO’s Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collections Loss, ATC&C.

He enjoined the DISCO to improve on metering its customers, adding that improved metering of customers and the embedded generation options being explored by the DISCO would not only improve revenue collection efficiency, it would improve its distribution network and overall performance.

Head, Consumer Affairs, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Mr Hardley Blue-Jack, assured of his agency’s desire to make power sector works through appropriate regulations which should be strictly adhered to by both service providers in the sector and the consumers.

Speaking, the Managing Director of Eko Electricity Plc,Mr Oladele Amoda, revealed that there was no visible investment in the power sector 30years before selling the assets of the successor companies of the  defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria(PHCN)to private sector.

He also said 70per cent of the assets were in dilapidated form when the assets were sold  in 2013,adding that  investors had actually spurred the growth of the sector hitherto in spite of the liquidity challenge.

He said his company  is desirous of giving its best to the customers with a view to satisfying them and providing value addition services.

He added that the company has  in the last three years  metered substantial number of its customers, even as he said it has also placed order  for five hundred 138 transformers in order  to ensure steady supply of electricity to customers during the yuletide.