As the power supply situation in the country hit an all time low, the Federal Government yesterday blamed the Nigerian Gas Company (a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation) and two joint venture oil companies, Shell and Chevron for their roles in the total shut down of Nigeria’s biggest power station, Egbin in Lagos State.
As a measure to check growing community agitation, the government has also disclosed that it has come up with a policy mandating all power stations to connect its host communities with electricity.
Speaking at a consumer stakeholder’s conference organised by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in Abuja, Special Adviser to the President on Electric Power, Engr. Joseph Makoju, said the non-observance of the facility maintenance arrangement by the gas companies was partly responsible for the worsening power situation in the country.
The Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) had in a statement on Tuesday night blamed the complete shut down of the Egbin power station on the on-going maintenance by NGC of the gas pipeline supplying Egbin which was meant to clear the partial blockage of the pipeline by condensate.
Explaining the situation further, Makoju said it was the usual pattern every year, for the utility company to depend more on its thermal power stations during the dry season as the decline in water levels set in at the hydro thermal stations.
Makoju who was until recently the PHCN Managing Director, said there has been an existing practice whereby both parties (NGC and PHCN) roll-out a mutually agreed facility maintenance plan to minimize the resultant impact on power supply.
Makoju said over the years, PHCN has always been proactive in making available its proposal for the maintenance plan to the gas companies, telling them when the dams will be full and telling them to conclude the maintenance of facilities prior to the onset of the dry season.
The Adviser who expressed regret over the continuing decline in power supply said the action of the gas companies has made nonsense of whatever contingence plan the utility company has in place to take care of the dry season.
“I am aware that when NGC gets the maintenance proposal, they usually get back to oil companies to comply. However, the reality is different now. Despite all these measures put in place, right in the middle of the dry season, the little that was left of the Egbin thermal stations is now shut down”, he said.
He however said there was some glimmer of hope in government’s effort to significantly improve the supply position through new power projects that will come on stream in the next one month.
According to him, government’s plan was to commission the three new power projects in Geregu, (Kogi), Papalanto (Ogun) and Omotosho (Ondo) towards the twilight of the present administration’s tenure to signal an end to power supply woes in the country.
He said contractors handling the Channomi creek pipeline has now gained access to begin the repair of the pipeline which may take 45 days to complete, adding that when that happens, Egbin power station will resume generation of 600MW.
Mar152007