The federal government’s target to increase power generation in Nigeria to between 8,000 and 9,000 megawatts, as contained in the new electrical reform blue print, would still not meet the power demands of Nigerians, chairman of the House committee on power, Patrick Ikhariale, said yesterday in Benin.

Mr Ikhariale, who spoke when he led other members of the committee on inspection of facilities of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Benin distribution zone, said that this was owing to the expectations that cottage industries which have packed up because of low power generation may spring up again to take advantage of improved power supply.

He said the federal government was exploring collaboration with the government of Brazil to start the Manbila power plant in Taraba State which, if fully operational, he said could generate over 2,000 megawatt; about 35 per cent of our nation’s power needs.

“The federal government is trying to indeed enhance the power situation in Nigeria but, for some reasons at different points in time, we’ve really not got the mark. As we speak today, it is obvious that we operate below 4,000 megawatts in terms of energy generation transmission and distribution,” Mr Ikhariale said.

“The requirement of Nigeria conservatively today can’t be less than 8,000 to 9,000. But I need not educate anybody that if indeed we get to that, because of the cottage industries, most of them that have shut down a couple of years ago, coming on board, springing back to business, it will certainly reduce the potency of that 8,000 megawatts to meeting the demands of Nigerians as of today. Therefore, it is to be expected from such reasonable projection that indeed Nigeria as a country needs a lot more than 8,000 megawatts of electricity.”


Improved funding

The lawmaker said that to boost government’s determination of making power available to the people, the National Assembly allocated over N500 billion for the power sector even when, on request, the 2010 budget was slashed by 40 per cent.

“It is because of the belief and the focus that the federal government has in the energy sector that we had so much allocated to the power sector so to achieve this, all hands must be on deck and if you choose to develop the generating aspect and overlook transmission and distribution, it is not going to achieve any meaningful result.” He commended the federal government for unbundling the PHCN and exploring other sources of power generation such as wood and solar energy.

“We know the importance of power that is why whenever the issue of power is raised in the Assembly, it is followed with so much enthusiasm and nationalistic interest,” he said.

George Chiatula, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Benin distribution zone of PHCN which oversees activities in Edo, Delta, Ekiti and Ondo states, said the zone was expected to generate 513 megawatt and distribute same to customers in the area.

“But we would only meet that target by the time the 2009 Capital Intervention Projects are fully operational,” he said.

He added that some of the operational challenges facing the zone were the inability of the NIPP (Nigeria Independent Power Projects) to complete the transmission projects at Asaba and Agbor in Delta State; and Okada and Eyaen in Edo State, and others.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/5613510-147/house_leadership_supports_power_deregulation_.csp

lets wait and see

Power supply in my area has become gradually worse since the strike.Haven't they(FG)paid their mon. arrears?

Abeg they should deregulate. We will pay. Are we not paying for diesel now?
That's how NITEL workers complained and complained and resisted sale attempt after sale attempt. When they spent decades tapping lines, collecting bribes, making sure telephone lines were invisible.

PHCN workers would rather that we continue to bribe them for everything, pay N50,000 and wait 3 years for a meter that is not even our property, and contribute millions per neighbourhood to buy a transformer. In short, we should continue to live with their incompetence and greed. What nonsense.

Now, nobody even reads any news about NITEL anymore. Most of those parastatals are always eaten into the ground by their workers, and the rest of their revenues are looted by government officials. Look at Ajaokuta Steel, NNPC, Railways, and the rest. Abeg let's privatize and pay more. At least we can complain to a private enterprise.

All we are saying please give us light, stop sharing and looting the nations resources all in the excuse of holding meetings FOOLS