By Oguwike Nwachuku and Kelechi Mgboji
President Goodluck Jonathan has again moved to hinge his re-election in 2015 on stable electricity supply by setting June this year as the deadline to generate 4,500 megawatts (mw).
President Goodluck Jonathan
He set the target after a meeting with stakeholders where a report of worsening power generation – despite the sale of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to private firms – was top agenda.
Jonathan mandated Power Minister Chinedu Nebo and Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke to ensure that what they refer to as “teething problems” militating against power generation, particularly gas, are resolved.
The closed door meeting was attended by representatives of ministries and agencies overseeing power generation.
TheNiche learnt that Jonathan was asked by the stakeholders what he feels about power generation as the Petroleum Ministry seems incapable of providing gas to power all turbines.
Our source disclosed that Jonathan did not make a categorical comment on Alison-Madueke but gave her the ultimatum to shore up generation to 4,500mw by June.
Nebo is to liaise with the generating companies (GENCOS) that bought into the PHCN to ensure the directive is followed.
Part of the message Nebo is to deliver to private firms involved in power generation, transmission and distribution is that they stand the risk of having their licences revoked if they fail to improve power supply.
Vice President Namadi Sambo reiterated the position when he had a meeting with the GENCOS in Abuja about two weeks ago to review their activities since the sale of the PHCN.
With an eye on the 2015 ballot, Jonathan had summoned an inner caucus meeting of the Presidential Task Force on Power (PTFP) to review the situation on report that electricity generation had declined to 3,000mw, the lowest in two years.
A source in the Power Ministry said Nebo appealed for more gas supply to thermal plants and is working closely with Alison-Madueke to meet the deadline.
“Nebo is pushing for the touching of the gas export mechanism” and hopes that Jonathan’s directive is not only realisable but can be surpassed if the vandalisation of gas pipelines is stopped, the source added.
He expressed regret that the power generating firms are not performing well.
He said Nebo “is concerned about policies that would create the enabling environment for firms which have undertaken to give Nigerians electricity to do their job well.
“This is not the time for sharp practices. We are even fluctuating between 2,800 and 4,200 megawatts, but the minister is out to realise the president’s target or even surpass it.”
Alison-Madueke was put on the spot on the Gas Supply Emergency Plan with a 12-month timeline to address the deficiency in gas to power generating companies.
Apparently not convinced by her claims about infrastructure repairs, expansions and gas supply, Jonathan told her to quickly resolve the deficiency in gas supply to thermal plants and told Nebo to resolve the inefficiency of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
In turn, Nebo while inaugurating the board chairman of the TCN in Abuja, gave a marching order to the firms and other stakeholders to improve electricity supply nationwide by June.
According to our source, Jonathan told the PTFP to brief him regularly on efforts to fix power supply and said that Nebo and Alison-Madueke are on the firing line if they fail to deliver.
Low gas pressure plagues most power plants, resulting in a sharp decline in power supply.
Investigation by TheNiche showed that all stations with three thermal units have only one unit running due to a lack of gas. Geregu power plant, consisting of Geregu 1 and 2, has three thermal units each but only one is running at each plant.
Nebo confirmed recently to reporters at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in Lagos that the major challenge against power generation and transmission is gas supply.
He disclosed that by early March last year, power supply stood between 4,000mw and 4,200mw until some pipelines went down.
“Electricity supply didn’t drop until we began to have challenges. Remember we hit over 4,000 megawatts and maintained it up to early February,” he said.
“But then we had Transforcados pipeline that is down. We have a CML that is vandalised. We also have a CML that has gone for maintenance. CML is costing us as much as 500mw.
“I can assure that hopefully, based on what they are telling us that since the maintenance would have been completed by next week, we will be able to go above 4, 000mw again.”
Efforts to get Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) spokesman, Omar Ibrahim, to comment on how the corporation will meet the new deadline were not successful.
