The Minister
of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has summoned the Chief Executives of Abuja
Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and Ibadan Electricity Distribution
Company (IBEDC) over the worsening power supply in their regions.
The Minister in a statement by his media aide, Bolaji Tunji,
also summoned the Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria
(TCN), Sule Ahmed Abdulazeez over the deteriorating power situation.
In a letter signed by the Director, Distribution Services at the
Federal Ministry of Power, Engineer B.U Mustapha, the CEOs of the institutions
were asked to attend a meeting called by the minister in the coming week to
discuss issues bothering on worsening electricity supply in their regions with
a view to proffering a lasting solution.
The minister also stated that the management of other
non-performing DISCOs would be queried as reports continued to filter in on
situations in their regions.
“These two DISCOs have been summoned due to the worsening power
supply situation in their regions despite improved supply from TCN”, he said.
According to the statement, the ministry had been putting
pressure on the Generating Companies (GENCOs) to improve performance and
generation has been ramped up to over 4000MW in recent days.
“So, we expect power supply to have improved across the country,
unlike what we are experiencing in some regions, presently. Findings revealed
that some distribution companies were deliberately not taking up power supply
from TCN while some power lines were also damaged by vandals in Abuja, Benin,
Port Harcourt and Ibadan regions.
“Going forward, the minister said focus would be on all the
DISCOs to compel them to expected performance while wilful, non- performance by
any DISCO could suffice as a reason for severe punishment or outright license
revocation,” the statement said.
The minister has also directed TCN to immediately commence
repair works on the damaged transmission towers and power lines in order to
improve supply in the affected regions.
Recall that the minister had embarked on supervisory visits to
some of the power generating plants in the last few months.
He was in Kainji hydro power plant which will soon embark on an
expansion plan to boost the existing 560MW operational capacity. He also
visited Benue and Taraba states to assess the infrastructure being constructed
to evacuate an additional 30 megawatts from the Kashimbilla hydo power station
to the national grid. Presently, only 10MW is being evacuated from the hydro
power plant.
The minister was also in Olorunshogo and Omotosho thermal plants
in Ogun and Ondo states, Ihvobor and Azura power plants in Edo state
respectively.
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During the visits, he assured these power plants that plans were
underway by the federal government to defray part of the outstanding debts
being owed the power generation companies and the gas supply companies.
“With this, succour is close to electricity consumers nationwide
as we expect this action to improve generation levels across the country.
“He also appealed to electricity consumers to exercise a little
patience while the situation is being turned around,” it added.
The Minister in a statement by
his media aide, Bolaji Tunji, also summoned the Managing Director of the
Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Sule Ahmed Abdulazeez over the
deteriorating power situation. In a letter signed by the Director,
Distribution Services at the Federal Ministry of Power, Engineer B.U Mustapha,
the CEOs of the institutions were asked to attend a meeting called by the
minister in the coming week to discuss issues bothering on worsening
electricity supply in their regions with a view to proffering a lasting
solution. The minister also stated that the management of
other non-performing DISCOs would be queried as reports continued to filter in
on situations in their regions. “These two DISCOs have been summoned due to the
worsening power supply situation in their regions despite improved supply from
TCN”, he said. According to the statement, the ministry had
been putting pressure on the Generating Companies (GENCOs) to improve
performance and generation has been ramped up to over 4000MW in recent days. “So, we expect power supply to have improved
across the country, unlike what we are experiencing in some regions, presently.
Findings revealed that some distribution companies were deliberately not taking
up power supply from TCN while some power lines were also damaged by vandals in
Abuja, Benin, Port Harcourt and Ibadan regions. “Going
forward, the minister said focus would be on all the DISCOs to compel them to
expected performance while wilful, non- performance by any DISCO could suffice
as a reason for severe punishment or outright license revocation,” the
statement said. The minister has also directed TCN to
immediately commence repair works on the damaged transmission towers and power
lines in order to improve supply in the affected regions. Recall that the minister had embarked on
supervisory visits to some of the power generating plants in the last few
months. He was in Kainji hydro power plant which will
soon embark on an expansion plan to boost the existing 560MW operational
capacity. He also visited Benue and Taraba states to assess the infrastructure
being constructed to evacuate an additional 30 megawatts from the Kashimbilla
hydo power station to the national grid. Presently, only 10MW is being
evacuated from the hydro power plant. The minister
was also in Olorunshogo and Omotosho thermal plants in Ogun and Ondo states,
Ihvobor and Azura power plants in Edo state respectively. During the visits, he assured these power
plants that plans were underway by the federal government to defray part of the
outstanding debts being owed the power generation companies and the gas supply
companies. “With this, succour is close to electricity
consumers nationwide as we expect this action to improve generation levels
across the country. “He also appealed to electricity consumers to
exercise a little patience while the situation is being turned around,” it
added.
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