Percy Onyeka
Worried by deteriorating electricity supply across the country,the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu has engaged the Chief Executive Officers of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) over the worsening power supply in their respective regions despite improved supply from TCN.
Also in attendance is the Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Alhaji Sule Ahmed Abdulazeez.
Consequent upon the worsening electricity supply in these regions, the Minister has enjoined the CEOs of AEDC and IBEDC to attend the meeting scheduled for this week with a view to profer a lasting solution, as contained in a letter signed by the Director, Distribution Services, Federal Ministry of Power, Engineer B.U Mustapha.
Adelabu warned that management of other non-performing DISCOs would also be queried as reports continue to filter in on situation in their regions.
According to the statement by Bolaji Tunji, Special Adviser to the Minister on Strategic Communications and Media Relations, the Minister said, “These two DISCOs have been summoned due to the worsening power supply situation in their regions despite improved supply from TCN”.
The statement further revealed that notwithstanding gas shortage, 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, PortHarcourt and Ibadan regions.
“Going forward, focus will 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 Minister stated.
Adelabu 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 the regions.
It will be recalled 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 had 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 had recently visited Olorunshogo and Omotosho thermal plants in Ogun and Ondo States, Ihvobor and Azura power plants in Edo state, respectively.
During the visits, the Minister assured these power plants that plans are underway by the federal government to defray part of the outstanding debts being owed the power generation companies and the gas supply companies.
The statement further clarified that with this, succour is close to electricity consumers nationwide as we expect this action to improve generation levels across the country, while also appealed to electricity consumers to exercise a little patience while the situation is being turned around.
Akudoro Gloria
