The Managing Director of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Dr. Atiku Abubakar, has said that about 130 power transmission projects were abandoned in the country since 2002 due to inadequate funds to execute them.
Abubakar, who made the disclosure at the electricity customer’s forum organised by the Eko Electricity Distribution Plc in Lagos, expressed positivity that the incumbent administration would ensure the 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.
He said: “We have the capacity to generate 7,500 megawatts of electricity but we are faced with issues of gas challenge. The country power generation hovers between 3,200 to 3,000 megawatts which was challenged due to inadequate gas supply.”
Abubakar regretted that the development could not be attained now, as the generation had dropped to about 300 megawatts due to gas constraint in the country.
According to him, the incumbent government was not perturbed by the current challenges facing the transmission segment of the nation’s power sector and it was determined to turn the challenges to opportunities which would spur the growth of the sector.
The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Power, Mr Daniel Asuquo, emphasised that the lower chamber was 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 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 company’s Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collections Loss (ATC&C).
He enjoined the power firm 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.
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 70 per 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 was 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.
