Electricity Industry Stakeholders Seek More  Media Synergy For Effectiveness

Stakeholders in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) have called for greater collaboration with media to ensure effective reportage.

The stakeholders made this call in Abuja on Friday at the Power Correspondents’ Association of Nigeria(PCAN) 2022 Annual Workshop (2nd edition)

Managing director, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), said

media professionals and practitioners are in the frontline of public discourse about energy services, therefore adequate industry-specific knowledge by the practitioners is key for effective dissemination of right information to the industry stakeholders and the general public.

Abudulaziz represented by Mr Kabiru Adamu, general manager, System Planning, TCN

The workshop was themed: “Stable Electricity: Exploring a Contract Based Market in Nigeria”.

“The need to deepened industry knowledge cannot be over-emphasised.

“More of this kind of interactions between the media professionals and the operators should be encouraged, ‘’ he said.

Abdulaziz said that TCN was working hard to ensure steady supply of electricity and carrying out a lot of projects across the country.

The managing director said that recently, TCN took delivery of a brand new 300/375 Mega Volt Ampree(MVA) 330/132/33 Kilo Volt (kV) power transformer in Osogbo Transmission Substation.

He said that the federal government through the TCN had also delivered a new 150/165MVA 330/132/33kV power transformer to its Ayede Transmission Substation.

“ TCN was installing a brand new 100/125MVA 132/33kV transformer at Ilorin Transmission Substation, under Ganmo Sub- region. The transformer, which was delivered to the substation had been put on plinth for installation.

“ TCN had also commenced installation work on a brand new 300/375MVA 330/132/33kV, and 100/125MVA 132/33kV power transformers delivered to Ganmo Transmission Substation, ’’he said.

The managing director said that TCN had also installed and energised a brand new 60MVA 132/33kV Transformer at the Itire 132/33kV Transmission Substation in Lagos on Oct. 19.

“Energised a new installed 150MVA 330/132/33kV Interbus Transformer (IBTR) at Delta IV Transmission Substation, Ughelli, Delta State on Sunday 16th October, 2022.

“It commissioned a new 30MVA 132/33kV Bichi Transmission Substation in Kano on May 20.

“It commenced pre-commissioning test at the newly constructed 2x60MVA, 132/33kV substation at Dawaki/ Gwarimpa, ‘’he said.

On his part, Mr Edu Okeke, the Managing Director of Azura Independent Power (IPP) said that the plant was a 461Mega Watts (MW) Open Cycle Gas Turbine power station.

Okeke said that the first phase of a 1,500MW power plant facility belonging to Azura was built near Benin City, Edo, and  with a project in Senegal, the Tobene 115MW power plant.

According to him, Azura’s long term vision is to engage in power generation projects that will add over 3,500MW of power, equal to approximately 20 per cent of Nigeria’s projected installed capacity.

He, however, urged synergy between the media and the power industry players to ensure effective reportage of the sector.

Speaking on the strategies for improving power supply within the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) franchise Area, Mr Kassim Burkullu,  the Chief Technical Officer, said that the company had embarked on 40 quick-win projects.

Burkullu said that the projects were geared towards rehabilitating its network and increasing   availability and customer’s satisfaction.

He said AEDC was working towards closing the metering gap and had so far deployed over 60,865 meters under the Meter Assert Programme(MAP)

“We have contracted the replacement of 10, 000 obsolete and faulty meters within FCT.

“AEDC has continued to provide seamless channels for timely resolution of customers’ complaints, ‘’ he said.

Earlier, the Chairman of PCAN, Mr Obas Esiedesa, said the workshop was to interact with the operators and stakeholders in the power sector.

Esiedesa said earlier part of the year was tough for energy consumers in the country, adding that as the year progressed NERC took a bold step in July that created a balance.

He said that energy correspondents were happy to be gathered with power stakeholders to discuss the issue of power supply.

“We hope that this gathering and the knowledge of to be shared would throw more light and proffer solutions on the way forward.