The Managing Director of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, Mr. Christopher Ezeafulukwe has called for collaboration among operators of the various segments of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), to surmount the challenges facing the sector.
Mr. Ezeafulukwe who spoke at the Bi-annual joint generation, operations and DisCos planning meeting in Abuja, said, the sector could only grow when the various segments work in unity.
He noted that while there have been improvements since the power sector was partially privatized 10 years ago, a lot of work is still required to meet the objectives of the sector.
He pointed out that the sector has been plagued by the issue of sustainability in policies and operations, adding that the biggest question confronting the players “today is how do we collectively ensure adequate and reliable supply of electricity to our valued customers even in the face of challenges?”
He explained that to overcome the mistrust of the public in the sector players, operators need to work as a team across the value chain.
“A team means a group of people who work together towards achieving a common purpose or goal. And our common goal is to ensure that we collectively and sustainably give electricity supply to the customers.
“Incidentally, we are all customers. That is the funny thing about the product that we either produce or we transmit or we distribute. We are not in that kind of business where some people sell things that they don’t use. And so we need to work together as a team”.
He urged participants to take a holistic view of the industry and come up with sustainable plans on how to improve the performance in the sector.
While admitting that there were issues in the sector that need to be addressed, the AEDC boss stressed that these issues should be addressed with focus on the bigger picture.
He said AEDC remains committed to delivering better services to its customers, saying “AEDC restrategising and refocusing on improving electricity supply to its customers”.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the meeting, the General Manager, Transmission Service Provider, Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, Engr. Ajiboye Oluwagbenga disclosed that transmission capacity has improved to 8,500 megawatts.
He assured that TCN currently has the capacity to evacuate every quantum of electricity produced by power generation companies in the country.
“We have demonstrated in practical terms through simulations that TCN can conveniently wheel 8,500MW. But up till now, the power generation that is coming to the grid is always revolving around 4,000MW”.
Also speaking, Engr. Onyekachi Nwosu, Senior Manager, Plant Performance, Omotosho (Gas) Power Plant, urged the government to tackle the issue of gas supply to the power plants.
“There should be more investment in gas supply to guarantee supply to power generators. In our sector, 95 percent are thermal power plants, meaning they use gas. And the challenge has been getting adequate gas to power the plants.
“The next challenge is the issue of the networks both at the transmission and distribution ends. The networks are fragile and that is the importance of this meeting. We are here to plan and ensure that we manage what we have and to ensure that services to consumers are improved on”.
