…NDPHC shifts focus to distribution, transmission assets
Power generation fell by 6.72 percent in the past seven days to 4,536.3 mega watts on Saturday, latest data from the industry has shown.
Figures from System Operator, SO, a semi-autonomous sector under Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, showed that at the start of the week on Sunday 16th May, generation stood at 4,863.6MW.
The fall was attributed to gas constraints and load rejection by electricity distribution companies, DisCos.
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Close examination of the data also showed that generation was 4,730.6MW on Monday May 17. It fell further on last Tuesday by 0.67 percent to 4,698MW. Power generation fell again on last Wednesday by 2.21 percent to 4,536MW.
Generation however recovered last Thursday by 5.33 percent to stand at 4,839.1MW. It fell again last Friday by 11.6 percent to 4,277.8MW.
Speaking exclusively to Vanguard, the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company of Nigeria, NDPHC, Mr. Chiedu Ugbo has said the company was working to improve distribution and generation infrastructure in the country to make electricity more available to consumers.
Ugbo who spoke shortly after receiving Business Day 2020 Excellence in Public Service Award, explained that poor infrastructure at transmission and distribution ends meant that the company was unable to fully utilized its installed capacity.
He said the NDPHC has completed over 60 distribution projects and over 30 transmission projects since he came on board about five years ago.
He said: “The truth is that when we came in, we discovered that we had very huge generating capacity but there was no dispatch, what is called evacuation, and we had to look inward. There was high load rejection with the transmission company and the distribution companies trading blames.
“We had to intensify what we were doing in transmission and distribution capacity. And when I go to communities to commission distribution projects generally, I see how happy the communities are and that has been the driving force for us. Ensuring that we connect communities to the grid and ensuring that for communities that had before we restore electricity supply to these communities.
“We keep improving the capacity of the distribution companies to take these loads which at the end of the day impacts the off-take in our power plant”.
He added that the company has done countless distribution and transmission projects across the country, stressing that “the last count was over 80 distribution projects and over 30 transmission projects. That is under our watch, the company has done far more than these”.
He noted that NDPHC has also led federal government quest to provide power for off-grid and under-served communities.
“In following the President’s vision and mandate that these people are also entitled to some form of electricity, we started with the initiative of the President and support of the Vice President, we were able to deploy 20,000 solar home systems.
“So these small communities also have electricity now. We are doing 100,000 more under the economic sustainability plan. We recently launched 100,000 more in Jangafe in Kazaure, Jigawa State and we are doing a lot more across the country”.
Ugbo emphasized that “it is of no use to me that I have generation plants, built with Nigeria’s money, over 4,000MW, and three quarters of which are lying idle in the power plants without been evacuated. So, we are doing end to end and cleaning up the network to ensure that communities are served”.
Ugbo who thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who chairs NDPHC board for giving and him and the management team the opportunity to lead the company, dedicated the award to the company’s staff and management.
