Power Sector News And Other Related Stories For Thursday 1st Sept. 2022
Geometric Power Says, It Suffers N100m Monthly Energy Theft
The Aba Power Limited (APL), a subsidiary of Geometric Power has cried out that it has been losing over N100 million monthly to 14 communities in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State due to illegal connections and outright energy theft by some members of the communities.
Managing Director of APL, Mr. Patrick Umeh, disclosed this yesterday, in a statement he issued in response to claims in a section of the media by some unnamed persons from the communities that they had been cut off from power supply since last weekend.
APL provides electric power to nine out of the 17 local government areas in Abia State.
Umeh said: “It is unfair that these persons have failed to honour the invitation from Aba Power Limited to visit our office to agree on how to end the pervasive energy theft in their local governments, which amounts to about N100m monthly.”
According to him, the electricity distribution company had gone out of its way to ensure that the communities receive at least 20 hours of quality power daily in recognition of the fact that some manufacturing companies are located there, adding that the APL was also mindful, “of the fact that these communities during the years when EEDC was the distribution company in the area made commendable efforts to provide distribution transformers to serve their communities.”
https://allafrica.com/stories/202209010021.html
Stiff Regulation Reason for Nigeria’s Dysfunctional Power Sector, Says Imumolen
Nigeria’s youngest presidential candidate and candidate of Accord for the 2023 election, Prof Christopher Imumolen has lamented over the current status of power in Nigeria and has proffered modules for the development of the sector.
He, therefore, decried the spate of corruption in Nigeria’s power sector and others, pointing out that for Nigeria to escape the abysmally low supply to homes and industries which stands at an average of 2 hours per day presently, corruption must be tactically killed, and the business of energy generation, transmission and distribution must be entrusted in the hands of professionals who know the business and not to political acolytes or clients.
“For a remarkable impact and success to be recorded in the power sector, it must be handled with govt sincerity as a vital sector tightly hinged to national development.
“With adequate power supply, a palpable economic vibrancy will be injected into the economy and Large, Small and Medium Enterprises will boom”, he buttressed.
Police Arrest 2 For Vandalising Electricity Cables in Imo
The Imo State Police command’s tactical team has arrested two suspects who specialize in terrorizing the Uguri in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State by vandalizing the Enugu Distribution Commission (EEDC) electrical cables in the area.
The arrest is the sequel to a report of the constant vandalisation of EEDC cables which has resulted in the continuous blackout in the community.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the command’s Public Relations Officer(PPRO), CSP Michael Abattam said that the command’s tactical team had carried out a discreet investigation to unravel the perpetrators of the act.
He said that the Police operatives had on 28th September 2022 after gathering credible information, supported by the community vigilante group, arrested 24year old John Johnson and 21-year-old Ekene Nwaojiji who are both natives of Nde Achi Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
According to the PPRO, the team recovered one locally made double barrel pistol, one locally made single barrel pistol, six rounds of live cartridges, vandalized high tension electric cables, one saw blade and one knife from them.
https://tribuneonlineng.com/police-arrest-2-for-vandalising-electricity-cables-in-imo/
FG, ECOWAS Plan Sustainable Energy Summit in Abuja
Nigeria’s Ministry of Power, in partnership with the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), is set to organize a forum aimed at achieving sustainable energy targets in the region.
According to a statement by the Communication sector of ECREEE, the theme for the ECOWAS Sustainable Energy Forum (ESEF 2022) is “Achieving Sustainable Energy Targets in the ECOWAS Region: Moving from Resilience to Transition.”
The event’s seventh edition is expected to hold from October 31 to November 1 in Abuja, with President Muhammadu Buhari expected to attend.
The two-day event will bring together a diverse group of stakeholders from within and outside the West African region. The expected participants include high-level representatives from government, regional and international development partners or donors.
https://theelectricityhub.com/fg-ecowas-plan-sustainable-energy-summit-in-abuja/
All On Invests £1m in Mobile Power Limited to Scale Its Activities
Shell-funded independent impact investing firm, All On has announced a new investment deal. The firm is investing £1 million in Mobile Power Limited to grow its Pay-per-use battery-sharing platform in Nigeria.
Mobile Power provides clean and affordable energy to the off-grid market across sub-Saharan Africa through its innovative and affordable solutions, such as MOPO, an energy distribution platform. Solar-powered MOPO Hubs operate across sub-Saharan Africa, providing energy via pay-per-swap MOPO batteries for homes, businesses, and electric transport. The investment will enable Mobile Power to increase the growth of its pay-per-use battery-sharing platform in Nigeria.
Through the MOPO platform, customers can rent 50Wh-1000Wh lithium-ion batteries a day. Mobile Power’s current hubs in Nigeria are in Ekiti state and Ondo state, where it has deployed over 40 hubs.
https://theelectricityhub.com/all-on-invests-1m-in-mobile-power-limited-to-scale-its-activities/
Kwara Govt Approves Procurement of Transformers
Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara has approved the procurement of more electricity transformers for deserving communities across the state.
Hajia Mariam Ahmed, the state Commissioner for Energy, confirmed this on Wednesday in Ilorin.
Ahmed said this while receiving the representatives of Irepodun Community phase II, Akerebiata in Ilorin East Local Government Area of the state, led by Malam Ibrahim Akanbi, on a courtesy visit.
Ahmed said the government is sensitive to the socio-economic needs and general well-being of the people, hence approving the procurement of more transformers for distribution in the state.
She listed other beneficiary communities to include Iderade, Okefoma, Ikoyi and New Yidi road communities.
According to her, though the responsibility of providing or installing electricity transformers for the use of consumers lies with the service providers, the present administration envisions the threat the apparent lack of such service is capable of posing on the local economy and security, thereby taking charge.
https://nnn.ng/blackout-kwara-govt-approves-procurement-of-transformers/
Yemi Osinbajo to Discuss Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plans in America
Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has departed the country’s shores to deliver an address on Nigeria’s energy transition plan at the Centre for Global Development in Washington, DC. The VP and his United States counterpart, Ms Kamala Harris and other top officials, will deliberate on the country’s plan toward a zero-carbon future.
Yemi Osinbajo left on Wednesday for meetings from Thursday to seek global partnerships and support for the policy, which was launched recently.
Last week, He inaugurated Nigeria’s Energy Transition Implementation Working Group (ETWG), which has some Ministers and other top government officials as members.
It was developed to attain 2060 net-zero emissions commitment in 5 critical sectors: Power, Cooking, Oil & Gas, Transport & Industry. Nigeria needs $410 billion to deliver the Transition Plan by 2060, with at least $10 billion needed per annum for effective implementation.
https://theelectricityhub.com/yemi-osinbajo-to-discuss-nigerias-energy-transition-plans-in-america/
Egypt Plans to Set Up Giga Solar Factory
The government of Egypt is said to be discussing with Chinese companies a plan to construct an industrial complex in the country. The complex is expected to be able to produce 1 GW of solar power components, according to news agency Asharq. The required investments for the project are estimated at USD 2.3 billion; the report says while citing four government sources.
The involved parties in the discussion are talking about potential financing of the facility through a loan that is to be provided by Chinese banks and repaid by the government of Egypt over a certain period, one of the sources informed Asharq.
The reported plan for local production comes amid growing concerns about the fate of solar projects in Egypt against the background of an acute lack of components. On Sunday, the Solar Energy Development Association (SEDA), which supports the solar energy market in Egypt, warned that the shortage of equipment such as solar cells, transformers, solar heaters, and cables is putting the realisation of projects across the country at risk.
https://theelectricityhub.com/egypt-plans-to-set-up-giga-solar-factory/
Six Nabbed for Electricity Transformers, Cables Thefts
THE Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has nabbed six suspects in connection with the theft of two electricity transformers, copper windings and cables following a vandalism incident which took place at Piedmont Farm in Bindura.
The six are: Brighton Magwenzi (38), Pascal Chabvunga (32), Ronald Makarutsa (29), Spencer Manonga (33), Chenjerai Mukombe (29) and Innocent Licomba (30).
According to the ZRP Bindura Rural case CR 159/08/22 and Bindura MFFU 71/8/22 the theft took place this week and the immediate recovery signifies a swift response.
“Two transformers 100 and 75 kVa were vandalised on 29 Aug 2022 at Piedmont Farm Matepatepa area. A security guard discovered the theft and alerted farm management who then reported the case to the Zimbabwe Electricity and Transmission Development Company (ZETDC).
“Loss Control, ZRP Matepatepa Base and CID MFFU Bindura attended the scene. Further Police Investigation led to the arrest of six suspects in connection with the theft and the stolen copper windings and cables were recovered,” the report said.
https://www.newzimbabwe.com/six-nabbed-for-electricity-transformers-cables-thefts/
Turkey Raises Electricity, Gas Prices by 50 Percent for Industry, 20 Percent for Homes
Turkish authorities raised electricity and natural gas prices for households by around 20% and by around 50% for industry on Sept. 1, putting further upward pressure on inflation, which was running at nearly 80% in July.
The utility price hikes are expected to push inflation up by 0.8 percentage points, according to a Reuters calculation, while higher industrial prices also lead to an indirect increase in inflation as producers reflect the costs on to consumers.
Turkey’s EPDK energy regulator said it had raised household electricity prices by 20%, those used by public and services sectors by 30% and those used in industry by 50%.
State energy importer BOTAŞ said it hiked the natural gas price for domestic use by 20.4%, by 47.6% for small- to medium-scale industrial customers, and by 50.8% for large industrial users.
The price of gas used for electricity production was raised by 49.5%, BOTAŞ said.
Both bodies cited the conflict in Ukraine and global developments, including the COVID-19 pandemic, as reasons for the hikes.
