Energy

Ikeja Electric Notifies Lagos Customers On 8-Week Power Outage

Published

3 years ago

October 5, 2021

Ikeja Electric, one of Nigeria’s privately run power distribution companies said it will carry out an upgrade on one of its feeders, which will lead to electricity outages in some parts of Lagos and environ from October 11, 2021.

This mean, customers under the coverage within the areas being supply by the 132KVA conductors from Ogba to Ikeja may have to endure power outage for the next eight weeks.

The power outage, according to the DisCo will run from 8 am to 6 pm daily, begins on October 11.

The Chief Technical Officer, Ikeja Electric (IE), Jide Kumapayi, who made this known in Lagos, said the company will use the period of a power outage to carry out the upgrade to the 132KVA conductors from Ogba to Ikeja.

He listed areas to be affected to include Oregun axis; Police Training College axis; Anifowoshe; Ojodu; Oba Akran; Magodo; Omole Phase 1 and Oke-Ira, among others.

Many residents of those areas are already coping with a lack of adequate electricity supply as the company consistently embarks on load shedding due to what it terms weak infrastructure.

In many parts of the same area, IE has effected tariff hike under the pretense that it has achieved 18 to 20 hours of power supply, but in most cases, the power supply is on the average of 8-10 hours in such areas.

He noted that the outage became necessary because some of the 132Kv lines installed over 50 years ago had become obsolete and degraded due to time and usage.

“The TCN is currently embarking on the upgrade of the 132KV lines from Ikeja West to Ota and Alimosho in stages. This is the second stage.

“We will replace all the aluminum conductors with gap conductors which are more sophisticated to withstand heat and has more capacity to carry current.

“The implication of this is that from 8 am to 6 pm every day, the substations controlling these areas will be switched off which will affect the feeders connected to them,” Kumapayi said.

Also, Maximum Demand (MD) customers such as Ikeja City Mall, Police College, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and the Ikeja High Court will be affected by the project

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Energy

FG Unveils N122 Billion Boost for Six Indigenous Gas Companies

Published

9 hours ago

October 3, 2024

Bassey Marshall

The Federal Government has unveiled six indigenous gas companies eligible for the N122 billion equity participation program under the Midstream Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund (MDGIF).

According to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr. Ekperikpe Ekpo, the six companies—Asiko Energy Holdings Limited (AEHL), FEMADEC Energy Limited, Ibile Oil and Gas Corporation (IOGC), Nsik Oil and Gas Limited, Rolling Energy Limited, and Topline Limited—have undergone rigorous screening.

Ekpo made the announcement during the signing ceremony of the MDGIF and Promoters Agreement held in Abuja.

He revealed that the investment reflects the government’s commitment to energy security, economic growth, and the development of the country’s gas infrastructure.

Ekpo described the signing as a significant step in the country’s energy sector.

He said, “Today marks a significant step forward in Nigeria’s gas revolution. I am pleased to announce the Federal Government’s approval of N122 billion for six indigenous companies through the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund (MDGIF). This groundbreaking investment demonstrates our unwavering commitment to energy security, economic growth, and the development of Nigeria’s gas infrastructure.”

“Today is a significant milestone as we formally enter into agreements with six business entities that have been screened to obtain government equity participation under the MDGIF.”

Ekpo assured that the N122 billion will not be the last as the MDGIF is screening another batch of beneficiaries.

He urged the benefiting investors, who are the first to sign agreements for the projects since the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), to live up to expectations.

He encouraged companies that did not make the first list not to lose hope.

The minister said, “For those who did not make the first six, we will have a second batch. Go home and put your records in order, and of course, this is the first since the passing of the PIA in 2021. This is the first signing, and we expect you to live up to expectations.”

Energy

Nigerians Tackle Minister of Power Over Claim of 20-Hour Electricity Supply

Published

3 days ago

September 30, 2024

Ugwoke Ogbodo

Many Nigerians have expressed shock and critisised the Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, harshly for claiming that over 40 percent of the country’s population is now enjoying up to 20 hours of electricity supply per day.

But his critics disagreed, saying the country still experience power outages and inconsistent supply at their deteriorating levels.

Reacting to Adelabu’s announcement, a resident of Lagos State, Kiwon Adesanya, said the minister’s statement is a far cry from the reality that citizens experience daily.

He said the people would only count themselves lucky if they get 8 hours of electricity in a good week, noting that “The constant power cuts are disrupting our lives and businesses.”

Echoing similar sentiments in other parts of the country, some residents of Ibadan, Oyo State capital said many businesses have collapsed due to poor power supply.

One of the affected residents, Doyin Ekundayo, a small business owner, expressed frustration with the government’s lack of transparency and accountability.

Ekundayon said it is disheartening to hear the minister claim such progress when the nation is still struggling with the same old problems.

While the government has made significant strides in recent years to improve electricity infrastructure, many Nigerians argue that the challenges facing the power sector are more complex than simply increasing generation capacity.

Factors such as transmission losses, inadequate distribution networks, and corruption have contributed to the ongoing power crisis.

Critics of the minister’s claim have called for more data-driven evidence to support his assertion.

They argue that anecdotal evidence from individual consumers is not sufficient to paint a comprehensive picture of the country’s electricity situation.

As the debate over the minister’s claim intensifies, Nigerians are demanding concrete solutions to the power crisis.

They are calling on the government to prioritize investments in renewable energy, improve grid infrastructure, and address corruption within the power sector.

Energy

Power Generation Reaches New Heights as 40% of Nigerians Enjoy Over 20 Hours of Electricity

Published

3 days ago

September 30, 2024

Bassey Marshall

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has said the major achievement of the ministry under his administration is the increase in power generation to over 5,500 megawatts.

The minister, who spoke during a review of the ministry’s activities in the last one year, said more than 40% of Nigerians are now enjoying at least 20 hours of power supply.

Adelabu described the power supply before his resumption as epileptic, adding that Nigerians were unable to enjoy more than 15 hours of power supply per day.

He said, “Upon resumption, we had an installed generation capacity of 13,000 megawatts, but we were only producing, transmitting, and distributing about 4,000 megawatts of power to the entire country.

“This was quite low and unacceptable given our population and level of economic activities. Therefore, we were determined to improve the situation.

“At that time, there was an epileptic supply. Almost all customers, both residential and commercial, could not be guaranteed 12-15 hours of supply.

Additionally, the adoption of renewable energy was skeletal in terms of solar or wind sources of energy.

“Between then and now, which is about a year, there has been significant improvement. Today, our installed capacity is over 14,000 megawatts of power due to the addition of the newly commissioned Zungeru hydroelectric power plant and improved capacity of some of the existing power plants.

“Moreover, the major achievement is the fact that today we generate over 5,500 megawatts of power, we transmit and distribute it, and over 40% of customers today enjoy over 20 hours of regular power supply across the nation. You can see that there is a significant improvement between when we came in and now, which we intend to improve further.”

Furthermore, Minister Adelabu highlighted some challenges faced by the ministry, particularly the issue of the meter gap in the country.

He revealed that out of 13 million customers, over 7 million are without meters.

The minister emphasised the need to address this issue.

However, he revealed that with President Tinubu’s Presidential Metering Initiative, the issue of the meter gap will be addressed.

Adelabu added, “There is the issue of the meter gap that we have. We all know that out of almost 13 million customers that we have in the industry, over 7 million customers are still without meters and are on estimated billing. We said this is not the way to go.

“We must correct this, which is why President Bola Ahmed Tinubu set up the Presidential Metering Initiative, which has the mandate of installing over 10 million meters within the next five years, at least 2 million meters every year. We are making progress on this. The funds are being provided, and we will soon go into the acquisition of these meters. This would reduce the meter gap.”