Power Sector And Other Related News Story For Tuesday March 28th 2023
EEDC to Deploy 500,000 Metres Across Anambra
Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) has expressed readiness to deploy 500,000 metres worth N37 billion to Anambra State.
This was disclosed by the Managing Director of the company, Praveen Chorghade, during the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between EEDC and the state government to ensure steady power supply across the state.
Chorghade said the MoU was designed to achieve an overall business turnaround that would contribute to enhancement of service delivery, commercial performance and stakeholders’ value addition.
https://guardian.ng/news/eedc-to-deploy-500000-metres-across-anambra/
Discos Unable to Attract Funding Due to Liquidity Challenge in Power Sector
The inability of power distribution companies (Discos) in Nigeria to access necessary external funding required for capital projects has been attributed to the liquidity issues plaguing the electricity sector in the country.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), Dr Tinuade Sanda, stated this during an exclusive interview with THISDAY.
She explained that Nigerian banks were not disposed to giving Discos long-term lending facility but instead; offer them loans on a short and medium term basis, which she said was not enough for them.
Beyond Legal Reform of Power Sector
Following the recent constitutional amendment assented to by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), the power sector regulatory body- the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission now has powers to grant states licenses to generate, transmit and distribute electricity
y. Prior to the review, the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Articles 13 and 14 though gave power in the concurrent legislative list for federal and state governments to legislate on electricity matters, however, it restrained the powers.
https://punchng.com/beyond-legal-reform-of-power-sector/
Advancing Power Supply via Local Content
Emmanuel Addeh writes that the engagement of competent indigenous firms to carry out major works in the Nigerian power sector could make a significant difference in in ramping up power supply in-country
There’s no gainsaying that power supply remains a major problem in Nigeria, with severe challenges in the entire value chain of the system, including generation, transmission and distribution.
But with still a long way to go to improving supply and stimulating growth in the economy , vandalism of electrical installations and equipment across the nation remains a major challenge.
https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023/03/28/advancing-power-supply-via-local-content/
States New Economic Powers
THE Muhammadu Buhari administration and the National Assembly led by Senate President Maina Lawan deserve a pat on the back for successfully moving the power to build and operate power grids and railway systems from the Exclusive List to the Concurrent List.
The overloading of the Exclusive List with Federal powers by the Military for more than 50 years rendered that sub-national level largely dependent on the Federal Government for almost every of its financial needs. Most states lost the courage to see visions and dream dreams. The failures of the Federal Government also became failure down the ranks.
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/03/states-new-economic-powers/
Nigeria Begins Work on Solar Cell Production Factory to Boost Power Supply
IBADAN, Nigeria–Work has begun in Nigeria on the construction of a solar-cell production factory aimed at increasing power supply in the West African country.
The factory will be one of the largest solar-cell production plants in Africa, and allow Nigeria to produce solar panels, according to the country’s National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, or Naseni, which is behind the project.
Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who on Friday performed the foundation-laying ceremony of the factory in Gora in the country’s north-central Adamawa state, said Naseni’s project puts Nigeria among the ranks of countries pushing the boundaries in the use of more climate-friendly alternative energy sources.
