NDPHC will complete all national integrated power projects-MD
NAN-HE-25
Projects
By Kingsley Okoye
Abuja, Oct. 25,2016(NAN) The Niger-Delta Power Holding Company says it is determined to actualise the mandate of the current administration by completing the ongoing power projects to boost power generation, transmission and distribution in the country.
The Managing Director of NDPHC, Mr. Chiedu Ugbo, announced this at the Power Sector Communication Team (PSCT) solar energy workshop in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said the completion of the projects would put the company in a better position to deliver more power to Nigerians from its current 45 per cent contribution to the National Grid.
He said that NDPHC, as power sector infrastructure development company, installed capacity for 4,774 Mega Watts(MW) of electricity.
According to him, a total of 120 transmission projects is being executed by the company.
The transmission projects include the construction of 1,635 Km of 330kV Double Circuit lines, 720Km of 132 V Double Circuit lines.
Other projects include the 10 new 330kV substations; seven new 132kV substations; 6,150MVA of 330/132kV transformer capacity; 2,800 of 132/33kV transformers capacity.
The expansion of 36 Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) 330kV and 132kV substations across the country is part of the projects
He said that most of the projects had been completed and were already in use.
He said that preparation was on to commission the NDPHC Ikot-Ekpene Switching station.
The project would allow the evacuation of over 2,000MW of electricity from Calabar, Alaoji, Afam power stations.
On distribution projects, Ugbo said that NDPHC added 1,712 Km of 33kV lines; 4,540KM of 11kV lines; 24,996 completely Self-Protected (CSP) distribution transformers; 3,970MVA injection substations capacity and 1,212MVA CSP Transformers(distribution) capacity in the network.
He said that NDPHC completed seven gas delivery facilities to facilitate gas delivery to the plants, to ensure that gas delivery infrastructure did not affect supply to the power plants.
He said that several intervention projects in both transmission and distribution chain of the power industry were also completed and added to the network by NDPHC.
The privatisation of the power plants are still on course with three power stations in the first round.
“Specifically this process will continue with the conclusion of on-going privatisation of Calabar, Geregu and Omotosho power stations.
“Decision on Omoku power station will be taken after the conclusion of on-going project audit of the plant.
` All these strategies are designed to enable the management to complete all the projects under phase 1 and deliver power to Nigerians.“
NDPHC is actively involved in the Presidential Initiative on Rural Solar Home Lighting systems where 20,000 units of Solar Home Systems (SHS) to rural areas with no access to grid electricity supply are being implemented.
NDPHC signed a partnership contract with Azuri Technologies Group/Azuri Solar Power Nigeria Limited for the Presidential initiative designed to be achieve in 12 months’ deployment of all SHS units.
He said that a new department had been created to drive the initiative and identify communities to benefit from the programme.
The workshop was designed to educate the power sector communicators on the policy, technical and commercial aspects of the emerging solar industry in Nigeria.
It is in line with government policy of attaining 30 per cent of renewable energy generation by 2030.
Presentations were made by solar experts on the following topics, including “The Place of Solar in Nigerian’s Energy Mix, Regulating Solar Power” and “Impact of Solar Generation on the Grid” (NAN)
KC/IA
Edited by Idris Abdulrahman