Power Sector News And Other Related Stories For Tuesday 23rd August 2022
Reps Query TCN Over Azura Poor Electricity Generation
The House of Representatives has qarried the Director of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Sule Abdulaziz, over epileptic power generation by the Azura power plant, after spending $33 million.
To this end, the House, also, summoned the Managing director and also t to hire the services of a consultant to dissect documents presented by the officials of TCN.
The summon was part of the resolutions reached by the House Committee on Finance, investigating the proposed sale of the National Integrated Power Plant (NIPP) by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), yesterday in Abuja.
The probe was also to address the alleged breaches of agreement and perennial power failure in the sector.
The TCN’s Executive Director, Transmission Service Provider, Victor Adewumi, had told the committee that the Azura which is located in Edo State was structured to produced 450 megawatts of electricity.
https://authorityngr.com/2022/08/22/reps-query-tcn-over-azura-poor-electricity-generation/
Reps Summon TCN’s MD Over Azura Poor Electricity Generation
The House of Representatives has summoned the Managing Director of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Sule Abdulaziz, over epileptic power generation by the Azura power plant, after spending $33 million monthly.
It also resolved to hire the services of a consultant to dissect documents presented by the officials of TCN.
The summon was part of the resolutions reached by the House Committee on Finance, investigating the proposed sale of the National Integrated Power Plant (NIPP) by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), yesterday in Abuja.
The probe was also to address the alleged breaches of agreement and perennial power failure in the sector.
TCN’s Executive Director, Transmission Service Provider, Victor Adewumi, had told the committee that the Azura which is located in Edo State was structured to produced 450 megawatts of electricity.
https://www.sunnewsonline.com/reps-summon-tcns-md-over-azura-poor-electricity-generation-2/
Mojec, Eko Electric Collaborate to Deepen Mobile Map Penetration
A cross-section of Nigerian power consumers plagued with estimated billing menace have lauded the efforts of Mojec Meter Asset Management Company as it ramped up efforts to reduce the country’s metering gap with the extension of the Mobile Meter Access Provider (MAP) programme to the Ibeju Lekki axis in partnership with Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC).
The consumers expressed their views at the Mojec/EKEDC Mobile MAP activation in Bashorun Town, Ibeju Lekki, where they noted that the meters being delivered to their doorsteps have empowered them to be in complete control of their energy usage.
In a clear indication of their warm embrace of the initiative, the residents trooped out in their numbers, as early as 8am, at the EKEDC’s Ibeju Lekki office, where officials of Mojec and EKEDC were on hand to guide them through the process of getting metered in 72 hours.
Project Manager, Mojec International Limited, Lekan Bashiru, indicated that extending the Mobile MAP activation to Ibeju-Lekki was a result of the company’s determination to address the country’s metering gap, which was quickly becoming a bane to both the DisCos and their customers.
https://www.sunnewsonline.com/mojec-eko-electric-collaborate-to-deepen-mobile-map-penetration/
Power Sector Owes Banks Over $1.95 Billion in Loans
In a bid to stabilise the ailing power sector in Nigeria, Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) saw fit to loan the sector a staggering $1.95 billion.
There appears to be no end in sight to the woes of the power sector, with economic experts expressing concern over a whopping $1.95 billion owed by power generation and distribution companies.
According to a report by CSL Stockbrokers Limited, Lagos (CSLS) titled The continued rise of bank loans to power sector” obtained by local news Daily Sun over the weekend, power generation firms and IPPs owed banks an estimated $1.31 billion while power transmission and distribution firms are indebted to the tune of $638 million.
Privatised in 2013, the Nigerian electricity sector has failed to live up to consumers’ initial optimism that the country would build nothing less than 40,000MW of electricity.
But rather than achieve the ambitious milestone, official bottlenecks have continued to leave the sector stunted at about 3,000MW on average, hobbled by incessant system collapse.
Navy, Geometric Power Partner to Restore Electricity to Aba-Owerrenta Feeder
Residents of Aba and environs has reasons to rejoice again as Nigerian Navy and Geometric Power partnered to restore electricity to manufacturing firms, hotels, schools, hospitals, communities as well as military and police establishments on the 14.5-kilometre road from the Tonimas Petroleum Factory on the Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway to Owerrenta in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area and a part of Isiala North Local Government Area both in Abia State. They are now enjoying electricity, for the first since the first quarter of 2021 when the 33KV feeder supplying them electricity was heavily vandalised by unknown criminals.
The restoration was made possible by a new collaboration between the Nigerian Navy, which has its School of Finance and Logistics at Owerrenta and Geometric Power Limited which has since last February been enfranchised to provide electricity to nine out of the 17 local government areas in Abia State referred to as Aba Ring Fenced Area.
“This is the kind of cooperation needed between critical organisations in the country in these tough times so as to get our nation out of the present development morass and move rapidly in the right direction”, says Anthony Ike Alozie, an accountant and management consultant whose community in Isiala Ngwa North LGA on two occasions almost lost its distribution transformer to vandals when the area was covered by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC).
Reps Condemn $40m Expenditure on Power Sector
The House of Representatives has questioned the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) and the Niger Delta Holding Company (NDPHC) for spending over forty million dollars monthly on the power sector without results.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Finance investigating the Proposed Sale of the National Integrated Power Project NIPP, Mr James Faleke, issued the query during a public hearing in Abuja. Mr Faleke expressed dismay over how the government agencies conducted businesses without due process. He questioned the rationale behind payments by NBET to one of the power operators, the Azura power plant, to the tune of thirty-three million dollars monthly without approval from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and ten million dollars expended by NDPHC on gas monthly through AKU gas.
The Chairman called on the agencies to review the contract agreements to reduce the burden on Nigerians.
A member representing the Jibia-Kaita Federal Constituency of Katsina state Sada Soli sought clarification on the process of the contract agreements.
Managing Director of NBET, Mr Nnaemeka Eweluka, who insisted that NBET does not require the approval of FEC for some expenditure, said Nigeria was still in the process of providing enhanced value for electricity.
https://theelectricityhub.com/nigeria-reps-condemn-40m-expenditure-on-power-sector/
Nigeria, India Collaborate for Energy Development
The governments of Nigeria and India are in talks about devising ways to improve infrastructure and solar energy capability to close Nigeria’s energy access gaps.
According to the high commissioner of India to Nigeria, Gangadharan Balasubramanian, the collaboration would help Nigeria reduce its infrastructure deficit and advance its capabilities in solar energy, finance technology (Fintech), and artificial intelligence.
The envoy made this comment while receiving questions from media at events held to commemorate India’s 76th anniversary in Abuja recently as both nations work to strengthen their bilateral ties.
India’s installed solar energy capacity is among the greatest in the world, and as of early 2022, it will contribute roughly 6.5% to the total capacity. Therefore, it is fitting that Nigeria and India’s cooperation may significantly increase Nigeria’s solar energy capacity and the renewable energy sector.
https://theelectricityhub.com/nigeria-india-collaborate-for-energy-development/
Shoprite to Ink $20m for Green Projects in South Africa
Retailer Shoprite has announced its financial close of R3.5 billion for green investments to accelerate South Africa’s energy transition strategy. The finance constitutes loans from Standard Bank (R2bn), sustainability-linked loans (R800bn) and RMB (R70bn).
The company’s sustainability manager, Sanjeev Raghubir, noted that the loans enabled them to continue on the road to reducing their environmental footprint by using more renewable energy, sustainable packaging and recycling more waste.
“These environmental programmes are key in our fight against climate change, and we can increase the pace and intensity of our actions with these loans,” Raghubir said.
The group said the loans would be used to expand the group’s investment in renewable energy and increase energy from renewable sources as a percentage of total electricity consumption. It also plans to increase cardboard and plastic recycling, sustainable packaging comprising reusable, recyclable and compostable packaging, energy efficiency, including LED lighting, and a monitoring system for refrigeration to reduce energy consumption and waste.
https://theelectricityhub.com/shoprite-to-ink-20m-for-green-projects-in-south-africa/
Rwanda Govt, Others to Commission New Hydro Power Project
The Council of Ministers from Rwanda, Tanzania, and Burundi has disclosed that the Rusumo Hydro Power station will soon supply electricity to three partner states by early November this year. The project’s original completion date was 2021, but governments extended it because Covid-19 produced a budget shortfall.
Officials are hopeful that the project will be finished by the end of 2022 so that the people of both countries can begin to benefit from the energy supply.
Yusuf Makamba, Tanzanian Minister of Energy, said the council of ministers would do all possible to ensure the project is implemented on the expected timeline.
“The first set of three unit transformers is expected to be complete by November and complete by next year,” he said.
The three governments received a US$468 million grant from various partners, including the World Bank and African Development Bank, to finance the project. Still, the audit conducted by the countries’ auditor offices estimated that the project delivery seemed unrealistic with doubts about completion time and deficiencies because the initial cost was anticipated to increase.
https://theelectricityhub.com/rwanda-govt-others-to-commission-new-hydro-power-project/
