Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday said that homes and business premises across the country have not been able to enjoy regular and quality power supply because the power distribution companies (Discos) on ground lacked the capacity to distribute the quantum of energy generated.
Osinbajo said despite the availability of about 8,000MW generation and 7,000MW transmission capacity, the lack of DISCOs infrastructure to absorb and deliver power to end users has largely restricted power supply to an average of about 4,000MW and even sometimes falling below 4,000MW.
The Vice President who disclosed this in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, while inaugurating 2x60MVA, 132/33KV sub – station and associated transmission lines, added that the Discos needed to be recapitalised to enable them meet the infrastructural requirements for adequate distribution of energy to consumers.
The facility was rehabilitated by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) to enable Distribution Company effectively distribute power from the 70megawatts to 250megawatts to Abeokuta consumers and other parts of the state.
Osinbajo also disclosed that there was the need to “open the space” in the power distribution subsector to attract more investors for adequate and quality power supply to Nigerians, saying the Federal Government is committed to making electricity available for domestic and industrial use.
He said: “Power supply is the lifeblood of any economy and we are committed to ensuring that power supply is adequate at everywhere.
“In the past few years, resolving the power supply problem has been the top priority of the federal government of Nigeria. But there is so much that still needs be done for us to get there.
“Today, we have about 13,427MW of installed capacity and an available capacity of about 8,332MW. The distribution capacity, in the 11 DISCOs are significantly low, covering around 4,000MW on the average with the peak of about 4,500MW.
“Despite the availability of about 8,000MW generation and 7,000MW transmission capacity, the lack of DISCOs infrastructure to absorb and deliver power to end users as largely restricted power supply to an average of about 4,000MW and even sometimes falling below 4,000MW.
“Apart from the lack of DISCOs infrastructure, the inability of DISCOs to provide metres through independent or third party companies to consumers all across Nigeria is also hindering the supply of electricity.
“It is evident that despite all the efforts that has been put into trying to expand the national grid that the infrastructure on ground today cannot deliver on the government’s promises for industrial and domestic use.
“A substantial change of strategy is needed. In recapitalising the DISCOs, they have to simply come up with more resources one way or the other. Part of the recapitalisation process is the Siemens electrification programme.
“The whole idea of the Siemens electrification programme is to deploy financing for technology on commercial term agreed with transmission and distribution companies in partnership with the German government and Siemens to one, increase transmission and distribution capacity.
“Two to enable power delivering of at least 7,000MW to consumers. And to eliminate all the bottlenecks in transmission and distribution to enable full utilisation of the entire power generated.”
Governor Dapo Abiodun lauded the initiative, saying it is a leap of next level agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Abiodun said the project would boost his resolve to run a focused government and create an enabling environment for individual and business prosperity.
According to the Governor, electricity is critical to jobs creation, productivity, food security and economic prosperity.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NDPHC, Chiedu Ugbo, said the 2x60MVA, 132/33KV sub – station and associated transmission lines, would quadruple the supply capacity out of Ota from 70MW to 250 MW, and thus, eliminate supply constraints and attendant load shedding that before now, was the norm at Otta and Abeokuta.