FG gives DisCos investment work plan for unutilised power

The Federal Government said it will present to electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) with investments work plan to build 33/11/0.415kV lines and distribution substations to utilise the 2,000 megawatts (MW) generated but currently unutilised. 

This, among other issues, may have formed the high point of the 23rd power sector stakeholders meeting, which held yesterday in Nasarawa state, The Guardian learnt.The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola had at the 22nd meeting held in Kogi state last year, disclosed that out of over 7,000 MW generated, only about 5,000MW could be off-taken by DisCos leaving 2,000MW stranded. 

He said there was need for DisCos to resolve network related issues in their franchise to ensure that the unutilised 2,000MW was evacuated as more power would be generated from upcoming generation stations this year, 2018.

The Guardian further learnt that excepting last minute change in plan, the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), would hand over the 2×7.5MVA Injection Substation in Nasarawa state to Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).

The Managing Director, NDPHC, Joseph Chiedu Ugbo, had at the last meeting indicated that the substation had been completed, tested and commissioned, adding that the company was willing to transfer it to AEDC.

Already, in a bid to resolve the problems associated with unutilised generating capacities, the report on areas that require investments at the 33/11kV voltage levels to unlock 2,000MW had been forwarded to Fashola, who is expected to unfold the programme of actions at the meeting as the Chairman.

Also, the federal government may unfold its modalities to engage the DisCos to implement the programme for such investments after endorsement by the Minister.

The meeting may also receive updates on the protracted debts of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA) from the Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Mrs. Damilola Ogunbiyi, who doubles as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Power. She had earlier been directed to close the verification exercise of all MDA debts; while DisCos were ordered to fund MDA debts within their franchise and to provide location and data of Military Formations with disputed MDA debts.

But some of the DisCos had declined to comply with the directive to fund the verification exercise of disputed MDA debt recovery exercise.