FG summons Abuja, Ibadan distribution companies over poor power supply

The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has summoned the chief executives of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company over the worsening power supply in their regions.

Also summoned is the Managing Director, Transmission Company of Nigeria, Sule Abdulazeez, over the deteriorating power situation across the country since January this year.

The power supply situation nationwide has gone from bad to worse since the beginning of this year.

The situation is partly attributed to the over $1bn indebtedness to gas producers who provide gas required for running thermal gas-fired power plants.

Also, there have been series of vandalism of transmission towers in parts of the country leading to grid disturbance and incessant drop in the transmission of electricity across the country.

Worried by the development, Adelabu in a a letter signed by the Director, Distribution Services at the Federal Ministry of Power, B.U Mustapha, ordered the CEOs of the Discos and TCN to attend a meeting holding in the coming week.

They would discuss issues concerning worsening electricity supply in their regions with a view to proffering a lasting solution.

A statement on Saturday by the minister’s Special Adviser, Strategic Communications and Media Relations, Bolaji Tunji, quoted Adelabu as saying that the management of other non-performing discos would also be queried over non-performance as reports continue to filter in on situation in their regions.

“These two discos have been summoned due to the worsening power supply situation in their regions despite improved supply from TCN,” the power minister stated.

According to the statement, gas shortage notwithstanding, the ministry had been putting pressure on the power generating companies to improve performance and generation had been ramped up to over 4,000 megawatts in recent days.

“So, we expect power supply to have improved across the country, unlike what we are experiencing in some regions, presently.

“Findings revealed that some distribution companies were deliberately not taking up power supply from TCN while some power lines were also damaged by vandals in Abuja, Benin, Port Harcourt and Ibadan regions,” Adelabu stated.

Going forward, the minister said focus would be on all the discos to compel them to expected performance while, “wilful non- performance by any disco could suffice as a reason for severe punishment or outright license revocation.”

The minister also directed TCN to immediately commence repair works on the damaged transmission towers and power lines in order to improve supply in the affected regions.

Recall that the minister had embarked on supervisory visits to some of the power generating plants in the last few months.

He was in Kainji hydro power plant which would soon embark on an expansion plan to boost the existing 560MW operational capacity.

He also visited Benue and Taraba states to assess the infrastructure being constructed to evacuate an additional 30 megawatts from the Kashimbilla hydo power station to the national grid.

Presently, only 10MW is being evacuated from the hydro power plant.

The minister was also in Olorunshogo and Omotosho thermal plants in Ogun and Ondo states, Ihvobor and Azura power plants in Edo State.

During the visits, the minister assured these power plants that plans were underway by the Federal Government to defray part of the outstanding debts being owed the power generation companies and the gas supply companies.

“With this, succour is close to electricity consumers nationwide as we expect this action to improve generation levels across the country,” Adelabu stated.

He also appealed to electricity consumers to exercise a little patience while the situation was being turned around.