By Sunday Etuka, Abuja
The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu has disclosed that the current administration achieved 5,000 megawatts peak generation in the month of May, 2024 for the first time in three years.
Chief Adelabu made the disclosure while giving the Scorecard for the Power Sector at the Ministerial Sectoral Update for the Present Administration on Friday at the National Press Centre, Radio House, Abuja.
The Ministerial Sectoral Update is one of the activities lined up to mark the One-year Anniversary of President Bola Tinubu’s Administration.
Speaking further, the Minister noted that the administration has achieved an improvement of grid generation capacity with the addition of 700MW Zungeru Hydro Power Plant with a capacity to evacuate 600MW.
He added that the administration proposed to include 3,000MW of utility scale solar on the National Grid, and distribute power generation across states using small hydro, solar and wind.
Adelabu also informed that efforts have reached advanced stage for the development of National Integrated Electricity Policy and Strategic Implementation Plan to provide a comprehensive framework for the nation’s electricity sector.
He expressed optimism that the plan would address the longstanding challenges and chart a sustainable path forward for the Nigeria’s electricity industry, adding that the plan would be submitted for Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval latest by September, 2024.
He recalled that in November, 2023, President Tinubu and German Chancellor, Olef Scholz witnessed the signing of an accelerated performance agreement aimed at expediting the implementation of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) to improve electricity supply in Nigeria.
According to him, the implementation of the pilot phase has resulted in infrastructure improvement which include additional grid evacuation capacity by 280MW, and additional 183MW to be commissioned by the end of June 2024.
He said, the ongoing efforts would lead to the rehabilitation of 15 brown field Sub-stations, and construction of 22 green field Sub-stations.
The Minister also spoke on the Presidential Metering Initiative scheduled to provide two million meters per annum for the next five years to improve the sector liquidity and limit estimated billing.
He also announced the completion of the bidding process for 15 million meters from the World Bank Distribution Support Recovery Program to improve sector liquidity and reduce estimated billing.
He revealed that about 46,089 meters have been procured and deployed to military formations nationwide to reduce Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) debts and improve sector liquidity.
On Transmission, he listed the ongoing efforts to include, implementation of existing policy to unbundle the transmission company of Nigeria (TCN), creating a Transmission Service Provider (TSP) and an Independent System Operators (System and Market Operator) to drive efficiency and transparency in the Mid-stream of the Nigeria power sector value chain, identifying and solve to complete the over 100 abandoned and uncompleted TCN projects.
He said, plans are also on to unbundle Distribution Companies (DisCos) along state lines and franchising of catchment areas in the unbundled state distribution company, adding that the DisCos are now more responsive and service-focused than ever before, emanating from improved regulatory oversight.
On investments in the sector, Adelabu affirmed that the administration has among several others finalised $750million facility to increase access to electricity for 2.5 million people through deployment of solar home systems and mini-grids to households, MSMEs, throughout Nigeria, educational and health facilities.
While noting that the people are beginning to see some progress from the reforms in the sector in the last one year, the Minister said, the administration is not going to relent until there is a resilient and efficient electricity sector that meets the needs of all Nigerians.
