Nigeria’s 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 state of power supply.
Also summoned is the Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Alhaji Sule Ahmed Abdulazeez on worsening situation of power supply.
These two DISCOs have been summoned due to the worsening power supply situation in their regions despite improved supply from TCN.
In a letter signed by the Director, Distribution Services at the Federal Ministry of Power, B.U Mustapha, the CEOs of these institutions have been 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 in a statement signed by the Special Adviser, Strategic Communications and Media Relations, Bolaji Tunji, said that “the management of other non-performing DISCOs would also be queried over non-performance as reports continue to filter in on the situation in their regions.”
According to the statement, “gas shortage notwithstanding, 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, however has 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, 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 Minister has also directed TCN to immediately begin repair works on the damaged transmission towers and power lines in order to improve supply in the affected regions.
Adelabu 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, while only 10MW is being evacuated from the hydro power plant.
Adelabu 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, the Minister assured these power plants that plans are underway by the Federal government to defray part of the outstatementnding 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 said.
Adelabu also appealed to electricity consumers to exercise a little patience while the situation is being turned around.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
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