Power Sector News And Other Related Stories For Wednesday 31st August 2022
Niger Releases N274m to AEDC, Power Supply Restored
The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has restored power supply to Niger Government, Ministries, Departments and Agencies after the payment of N274 million electricity bills.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the AEDC on Aug. 26, disconnected the Government House, ministries and health institutions over unpaid electricity bills totalling N1.3 billion.
Alhaji Mahamud Keni, Niger Regional Manager, AEDC, told the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) in Minna on Tuesday that the government had agreed to be paying N100 million monthly to settle the outstanding debt of N1.3 billion.
“The company received the sum of N200 million outstanding debts of N1.3 billion unpaid bills that accumulated before now and N74 million monthly current bill for August.
“We have since restored power supply to the Government House, hospitals, ministries as well various departments, institutions and hospitals across the state.
“We hope the state government would sustain its obligation by ensuring prompts payment of N100 million monthly as agreed to settle the outstanding debts”, he said.
https://guardian.ng/news/niger-releases-n274m-to-aedc-power-supply-restored/
Nigeria’s Electricity Sector Dips by 11.5% in Q2 2022 Following Multiple Grid Collapses
The latest GDP report for the second quarter of 2022 released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that Nigeria’s electricity sector contracted by 11.48% year-on-year in real terms.
This is consistent with the 11.2% contraction recorded in the previous quarter (Q1 2022). In other words, the sector saw a loss of N15.4 billion from the N134.19 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2021.
The sector, which was stated as electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), recorded impressive growth in the previous year, following a hike in electricity tariff rate. However, multiple grid disruptions and global energy crisis dampened productivity in the sector.
The Electricity, Gas, Steam and Air conditioning Supply sector contributed 1.39% to the nominal GDP in Q2 2022, a 0.33%-point decrease from the corresponding period in 2021. However, this was an improvement from the previous quarter’s 0.38%.
Bauchi Govt Donates 32 Transformers to Communities for Improved Electricity Supply
Some rural and urban communities across Bauchi state that are suffering inadequate electricity supply due to damaged transformers now have cause to smile as the state government has procured and provided them with 32, 500 and 300 KVA transformers.
The disclosure was made by the acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Power, Science and Technology, Mustapha Mohammed who said that it is part of efforts to address the longtime challenges by connecting the communities with the national grid.
While presenting the transformers, Muhammed said that the state government has expended the sum of N319 million for the procurement of the transformers.
The Permanent Secretary further said that the move was in line with Governor Bala Mohammed-led administration’s rural electrification initiative, calling on the benefiting communities to take ownership of the transformers provided by protecting them against vandalism.
While expressing appreciation on behalf of the benefitting communities, Alh. Maigari Muhammed Khanna from Tambari Housing Estate, Phase two and Dr Bala Musa Lukshi from Ibrahim Bako said that the move would improve the quality of their lives.
Electricity Sector Pensioners Demand N34.9bn Arrears
The Electricity Sector Retirees Welfare Association (ESREWA) has called for action on the lingering outstanding accrued rights and arrears amounting to N34.9 billion owed electricity sector pensioners.
In a statement signed by its President, Elder Benjamin M. Amako, the association said the “N34.9 billion owed to us, the electricity sector pensioners was established in 2014 by NELMCO. We were even told by NELMCO that the money was approved and budgeted for onward payment to us. But till date unfortunately, we have not heard, seen, or received a dime.
“We are joyful and grateful when we heard that Vice President Osibanjo has inaugurated the board. So in a special way, we thank President Buhari and his Vice for the job well done. We cannot stop praising them for the unrelenting effort towards ensuring that pensioners are well treated. Posterity we judge them well for this.
“We are using to opportunity to urge President Buhari and Vice President Osinbanjo and the members board, especially the Minister of Finance to leave no stone unturned in ensuring we receive the entitlements of our life sweat. We have in the past written to President Buhari and Vice President Osinbanjo on the matter and we are once again calling on them to specifically help us.”
https://www.blueprint.ng/electricity-sector-pensioners-demand-n34-9bn-arrears/
Electricity Pensioners Beg FG to Pay Outstanding N34.9 Billion Benefits
The Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbanjo, had in August inaugurated the NELMCO board, Chaired by the Minister of Finance and Budget Planning. NELMCO is a company limited by guarantee incorporated on 25th August, 2006 by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) to assume and administer the debts and non-core assets of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) Plc as well as the pre-privatisation liabilities of the PHCN, in line with the provisions of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act, 2005.
In a statement signed by its President, Elder Benjamin Amako, the union said: “N34.9 billion is owed to us. The electricity sector pensioners was established in 2014 by NELMCO. We were even told by NELMCO that the money was approved and budget for onward payment to us. But till date unfortunately, we have not heard, seen, or received a dime.
“We are using to opportunity to urge President Buhari and Vice President Osinbanjo and the members board, especially the Minister of Finance to leave no stone unturned in ensuring we receive the entitlements of our life sweat. We have in the past written to President Buhari and Vice President Osinbanjo on the matter and we are once again calling on them to specifically help us.”
Reps Urge IOCs to Assist Solve UPTH Power Challenge
In a bid to put a permanent solution to the epileptic power challenge at University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), the House of Representatives Committee on Health Institutions has appealed to International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in Rivers State to assist the hospital in solving the menace.
The committee said such assistance was part of the IOCs’ Corporate Social Responsible (CSR) to its host communities.
Chairman of the committee, Hon Paschal Chigozie Obi stated this in Port Harcourt during the tour of UPTH facilities as part of its constitutional oversight functions as federal lawmakers.
Obi, who represents Ideato North /South Federal Constituency, Imo State, said the committee was in the hospital for the exercise of its oversight functions in line with Section 88 of 1999 Constitution as amended, which gives power for it to exercise oversight roles in all Federal Government health institutions.
Accompanied by five other federal legislators, Obi appealed to oil companies in the state to seek alternative means of curbing power problem in UPTH so as to aid health care delivery service in the hospital.
https://www.thetidenewsonline.com/2022/08/31/reps-urge-iocs-to-assist-solve-upth-power-challenge/
Egypt Firm Launches 7.5MW Rooftop Solar Power Plant in Sokhna
A new rooftop solar power plant has begun commercial operations in Egypt. The project was developed by China’s Jushi Group, one of the largest fibreglass manufacturers and inaugurated by Egyptian Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, Mohamed Shaker.
In a press statement by the firm, the rooftop solar plant, which was developed under a private sector Power Purchase Agreement between Jushi Egypt and local renewable investment platform Enara Capital, will generate 10 gigawatts/hour of electricity annually.
Jushi Egypt’s fibreglass production facility covers a total area of 360,000 square metres with three production lines and an annual output of more than 200,000 tonnes, according to past media reports.
https://theelectricityhub.com/egypt-firm-launches-7-5mw-rooftop-solar-power-plant-in-sokhna/
New South Wales Acquires 17GW of Proposals To Deploy Renewable Energies
The Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) has announced plans to develop renewable energy and storage projects for its IIIawarra Renewable Energy Zone (REZ).
According to the state’s minister of energy, Matt Kean, the response for the registration of interest (ROI) held in June and July 2022 for the latest REZ has been “tremendous”, with a strong interest in offshore wind, energy storage and green hydrogen.
Interest in 44 projects equating to AU$43 billion (US$29.6 billion) in potential investment has been registered in five solar PV farms, 16 energy storage projects, four pumped hydro projects and ten wind farms, according to a statement by the NSW government.
Four hydrogen production and two hydrogen electricity generation projects have also been registered, as well as three new load projects, including green steel manufacturing.
