Power Sector News And Other Related Stories For Thursday 18th August 2022
Electricity Workers Call Off Strike, Businesses Count Losses
Businesses and other power consumers were thrown into darkness on Wednesday as the industrial action embarked upon by electricity workers, which lasted for almost one day, led to the total shutdown of the national power grid.
Power generation crashed fell below 4,000 megawatts as workers of the National Union of Electricity Employees went on strike to protest against a compulsory promotion interview for principal managers, unpaid entitlement, among other issues.
Although the Federal Government announced on Wednesday night that the union had halted the strike, it had earlier declared that the action by the electricity workers resulted in a collapse of the country’s grid.
“Following the industrial dispute declared by the two in-house unions at the Transmission Company of Nigeria, the national electric power grid has been shut down by union functionaries – even as unfettered effort was being made to resolve the issues upon which the action was called,” the government stated in a statement from its power transmission company.
https://punchng.com/electricity-workers-call-off-strike-businesses-count-losses/
Electricity Workers Suspend Strike for 2 Weeks
THE Nigerian electricity workers have suspended their nationwide strike, which led to total blackout in different parts of the country.
The electricity workers under the joint umbrella of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEC) agreed to suspend the industrial action, following the intervention of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige.
Ngige had summoned an emergency conciliation meeting between the Federal Government and the electricity workers on Wednesday to resolve the issues that precipitated the industrial action.
The issues are the alleged contravention in their Conditions of Service and Career Progression, stigmatisation of electricity staff by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation and refusal of the market operators to fund the payment of entitlements of ex-PHCN staff as agreed in the December 2019 agreement.
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/08/breaking-electricity-workers-suspend-strike-for-2-weeks/
Electricity Workers Suspend Nationwide Strike
Electricity workers have suspended their nationwide strike, which led to total blackout in different parts of the country.
The electricity workers under the joint umbrella of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEC) agreed to suspend the industrial action, following the intervention of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.
Ngige had summoned an emergency conciliation meeting between the Federal Government and the workers on Wednesday to resolve the issues that precipitated the industrial action.
The issues are the alleged contravention of their Conditions of Service and Career Progression, stigmatisation of electricity staff by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation and refusal of the market operators to fund the payment of entitlements of ex-PHCN staff as agreed in the December 2019 agreement.
https://dailytrust.com/blackout-electricity-workers-suspend-nationwide-strike
Nigeria Electricity Workers Suspend Strike That Caused Blackout
Workers at the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) have suspended a strike that began on Wednesday and caused a nationwide blackout, a workers union official said after a meeting with the government.
The grid capacity dropped to zero by 5:00 p.m. (1600 GMT) from 4,100 megawatts (MW) early on Wednesday, according to TCN. By 9:50 p.m. (20:50 GMT) capacity was at just 35 MW.
The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) general secretary Joe Ajaero told Reuters the union would suspend the strike for two weeks after a meeting with TCN management and the minister of power.
“A committee chaired by the Minister of State for Power has been set up to work out modalities on resolution of the issues. Power would be restored either this night or tomorrow in the morning,” Ajaero said.
Eko Disco, TCN New Agreement Will Upgrade Infrastructure
The Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) has commenced power infrastructure upgrade to provide sustainable electricity supply especially to the industrial hub of Agbara as well as Badagry.
The DisCo is in partnership with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), to further strengthen transmission assets along its corridor.
The company announced this following its continuous engagement with customers, at the Agbara District, which covers areas of Ijanikin, Agabra Industrial Estate, and the Badagry environs.
The meeting which took place in Agbara was attended by residents and representatives of communities under the district.
According to an official statement by the EKEDC Corporate Communications general manager, Godwin Idemudia, “Agbara District is a core focus of the Management due to the expanse landmass of the communities under the district, hence the need to engage our customers and address the challenges affecting electricity supply in those areas”.
https://independent.ng/eko-disco-tcn-new-agreement-will-upgrade-infrastructure/
Unions Shut Down TCN Stations Across Nigeria
Reports reaching Nairametrics indicate Labour Unions have shut down major TCN stations across the country, cutting power supply to electricity consumers.
This is coming on the heel of threats from Labour unions to shut down power supply over Labour-related issues with the Ministry of Power.
Reports indicate that affected states include Lagos, Ogun, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Abuja and others.
Electricity workers under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and the Senior Staff Association Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) had on Tuesday, August 16, grounded the operations of TCN nationwide with the picketing of its office across the country for reneging on the agreement it had reached with the unions some years ago.
The aggrieved electricity workers who had vowed to paralyse the operations of TCN over its anti-masses activities said that the exercise that they carried out on Tuesday was a prelude to an indefinite strike action which is expected to commence today (Wednesday, August 17th. https://nairametrics.com/2022/08/17/darkness-unions-shut-down-tcn-stations-across-nigeria/
Why Nigeria Can’t Generate Additional 5000MW Power – Minister
The Federal Government, on Wednesday, said it could not reach its earlier proposed power generation target of 5,000 Megawatts due to gas shortage.
The Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, disclosed this to State House Correspondents shortly after the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
On July 1, 2022, The PUNCH reports that the Minister of State for Power, Mohammad Notezai, announced that an additional 5,000 megawatts of electricity would be added to the national grid by March 2023.
Reiterating the same stance in an interview with one of our correspondents on July 19, the Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Garba Sanusi, explained why the commission’s 5,000MW target is realistic saying that the feasibility of delivering such a level of supply to consumers is high.
Sanusi had lamented that 80 per cent of the country’s power generation comes from gas, and the sustainability of gas to generate plants has been constrained largely due to breakdown, vandalism, maintenance work, or disruption of supply to the power plants.
https://punchng.com/why-nigeria-cant-generate-additional-5000mw-power-minister/
Power System On Verge of Collapse, Says Ajaero
The General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Joe Ajaero, at a training programme to equip young unionists into leadership positions, raised issues about the sector. GLORIA NWAFOR was there.
Power system in crisis
As we talk today the system is in crisis. The power sector will collapse soon if government does not have the political will to take a decision on what is happening in the power sector. No country in the world has developed with a private sector driven power sector.
Corruption in the power sector
The corruption in the power sector is second to none. Obasanjo government spent about $16 billion on power. If Nigeria has no pole or wire, with $16 billion, at the then international global practice of $1 per 1,000MW, we would have had about 16,000MW now but it went down the drain. Between that time and now, it’s still going down the drain. Nothing is working.
https://guardian.ng/appointments/c29-appointments/power-system-on-verge-of-collapse-says-ajaero/
Niger, Benin, Togo Owe Nigeria N5.8bn for Power in 2020 – Report
The Republic of the Niger, Republic of Benin and Togolese Republic did not pay a N5.86 billion electricity debt in 2020 from an invoice of N16.31bn issued to them by the Nigerian Electricity Market (NEM) for the year.
According to the report for 2020 released by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the companies for each of the countries are Societe Nigerienne d’electricite (SNE), Societe Beninoise d’Energie Electrique (SBEE) and Compagnie Energie Electrique du Togo (CEET) respectively.
The remittances showed that the Nigerian Market Operator (MO) gave the countries N16.31bn from which they paid N10.45bn for the services received from MO, while N5.86bn was outstanding.
Ajaokuta Steel Company Ltd, termed a special customer in Nigeria, and its host community did not pay anything after consuming N1.08bn worth of electricity in the year. The invoice from Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) to the company was N930m, while that of MO was N150m. NERC recommended in the report that, “MO and NBET must activate the relevant safeguards against continued non-settlement of market obligations by these market participants.”
https://dailytrust.com/niger-benin-togo-owe-nigeria-n5-8bn-for-power-in-2020-report
Gov Ikpeazu to Release N30m for Asa Electricity Project
Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia on Wednesday said he would immediately release N30 million to Ukwa West Local Government Area for Asa Electricity Project he earlier promised.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this was contained in a statement signed by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Onyebuchi Ememanka, issued in Aba.
The governor disclosed this during a meeting with leaders of Ukwa West LGA who paid him a solidarity visit in Aba
Ikpeazu said the money would hit their bank account immediately the meeting ended on Wednesday.
He challenged them to ensure the project’s delivery before the end of September, to ensure Ukwa West LGA residents have their own dedicated source of electricity.
Ikpeazu also announced that he had released funds to the contractor handling the Uratta – Umuozuo – Umuekechi – Obokwe – Ugwati road.
The governor told them that the first phase of the project, which covered Uratta to Umuekechi, had been completed.
https://www.sunnewsonline.com/gov-ikpeazu-to-release-n30m-for-asa-electricity-project/
Despite Epileptic Supply, Power Sector Records Modest Feats
Despite several challenges, the Nigeria’s power sector has recorded modest achievements since privatization in 2013, according to the Director of Marketing and Sponsorship, Nigeria Power Sector Awards Limited, Racheal Salehu.
Unfortunately, she said, ‘these improvements and progress are often overshadowed by the challenges in the sector’.
She said: “We believe that it is time to highlight, showcase and celebrate the improvements and progress so far achieved within the power sector, in the form of an annual power sector award event. It is on this basis, that we are organizing the Nigeria Power Sector Awards, which we intend to become the premier power sector award event in Nigeria.
“The Awards aims to achieve three broad objectives – (i) to reward and incentivize organizations and individuals who have contributed in measurable ways to the improvements, growth and progress in the sector; (ii) to catalyze further improvements, growth, innovation and progress in the power sector; and (iii) to transparently highlight the improvements and growth achieved within the power sector in order to change the negative public opinion about the power sector, which has become a hindrance and constraint to attracting much needed long term investments in the power sector.
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/08/despite-epileptic-supply-power-sector-records-modest-feats/
Gov Diri Commissions 1,000 KVA Power Plant at Bayelsa Varsity
Gov Diri Commissions 1,000 KVA power plant at Bayelsa VaGov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa on Wednesday commissioned a 1,000KVA power-generating plant donated by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to the Niger Delta University (NDU) at the Wilberforce Island, Amassoma.
Diri also performed the groundbreaking of the model hostel building sponsored by the federal interventionist agency for the state-owned premier university.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that NDU is a state-owned University, established in 2001 by late Diepreye Alamieseigha, a former Governor of Bayelsa.
Speaking at the ceremony, Diri commended the management of the NDDC for providing the institution with the power plant and awarding the contract for the 500-bed space hostel.
The governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Mr Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, also thanked the commission for adding value to the university by donating a 36-seater Coaster bus to the state’s premier university.
https://nnn.ng/gov-diri-commissions-1000-kva-power-plant-at-bayelsa-varsity/
