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FG to inject 340 megawatts into national grid before December, says Fashola

By Lawrence Njoku, Southeast Bureau Chief, Enugu
13 June 2017   |   4:30 am
Raji Fashola, who stated this in Enugu, added that government expects additional 450 mega watts from the Azura Power Plant before the end of first quarter next year to complement the already existing output.

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola (left); Permanent Secretary, Power, Louis Edozien; Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s Commissioner in charge of Engineering Performance and Monitoring, Prof. Frank Okafor and Managing Director, Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), Chiedu Ugbo during the 16th monthly meeting with sectoral participants in the power sector hosted by the NDPHC at the Ugwuaji 330/132KV Transmission Sub-Station in Enugu…yesterday. 

The Federal Government will inject about 340 mega watts of electricity into the national grid before the end of the year. Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Raji Fashola, who stated this in Enugu, added that government expects additional 450 mega watts from the Azura Power Plant before the end of first quarter next year to complement the already existing output.

The Minister also appealed to members of the public to take advantage of the whistle blowing policy to report those stealing energy in the country as a means of checking over billings and estimation currently by Distribution Companies (DisCos) to recover lost energies.

Speaking yesterday during the 16th Power Sector meeting on electricity in Enugu, the minister stated that the Afam 4 power plant was now ready to deliver 100 mega watts of electricity to the national grid after the successful repairs of the damaged transformers before the month runs out, adding that the Afam 3 project was on course to deliver 240 mega watts before the end of the year.

“If you add all these to what we have currently, you will discover that our road map on power sector is being realized. If all these all power plants come on stream, it will add to what we have on the grid and it will bring more efficiency, more stability and more effective power supply to the country,” he stated.

The Minister, who expressed worries over growing rate of energy theft and complaints of estimation in billings by consumers, said that the public must support the distribution c0ompanies to serve them better by reporting those who use energy without making the necessary payments.

He called on the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to step up efforts to ensure that DisCos lived to the commitment they made last year in the provision of prepaid meters to the public.

He stated that a situation where many distribution companies have reneged in their commitment and continued to place customers on estimation was no longer acceptable, stressing that his office had been inundated with petitions from public on bill estimation and disconnection of those with prepaid meters.

Fashola, who also waded into the rift between Enugu State government and the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), urged the state government to settle the over N2.6 billion debt owed to the company to enable it improve on its services.

He also decried the alleged vote of no confidence passed on the EEDC recently by the Enugu State House of Assembly over alleged poor services, explaining that the development would in no way contribute in tackling the challenges in the sector.

“The Enugu House of Assembly should know that their interest will be better served and indeed the interest of the Enugu and environs if they work and collaborate, criticize, encourage and challenge the DisCo rather than passing a vote of no confidence on them,” adding that the power sector in privatisation was in transition.

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