FG PARTNERS MINISTRIES ON POWER DEVT

THE Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring improved power supply in Nigeria, as it plans to partner with ministries in other sectors of the economy. The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, who made this known at a public lecture, recently, said: “We are working round-the-clock within the ministry, and with other ministries like Solid Minerals, Water Resources and Ministry of Environment. This would deliver an energy mix that will assist power production, investors and all stakeholders on how to site solar power in the North, hydro power in the North and North-Central, coal in the North Central and South East and gas in the South-West and South-South. “This is our roadmap to incremental power, because it not only makes the power cheaper, if the fuel is nearer, but it makes it easier to plan and execute transmission plan, to ensure the power is evacuated and distributed.” The Minister explained that other imminent power sources are the 40 megawatt Kasimbilla power plant, the Katsina 10MW wind and the 222MW Gbarain plant in Bayelsa State. He added: “There are also those who just require gas to operate and deliver full power such as the AES 240MW plant in Lagos, the Geregu I and II plants in Kogi State where four turbines of 115MW each simply do not have gas. The Omotosho and Olorunsogo power plants, where only three turbines out of 12 turbines are working, and with the supply of gas we can increase power from the present 160MW to over 600MW.” On rural electricity, Fashola expressed optimism over its completion in June, saying: “There is also the plan for rural electricity, which should have been completed by law since 2006, but which we inherited and will be completing by June this year. This will detail out the plan to supply power to many of our vulnerable people who live in rural areas.” He however stressed the need to collaborate with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to provide gas, the Ministry of Water Resources to provide access to water for the dams and river basins for hydro power, and the Ministry of Solid Minerals for coal data to assist in reviving some coal power initiatives.