The Nation Newspaper

Category: Energy

  • Swedish firm targets Nigeria’s oil industry

    Nigeria’s oil and gas industry may attract a major investment as Alfa Lava, a leading Swedish equipment manufacturer has concluded arrangement to collaborate with an indigenous firm, Jocam Nigeria Limited, to provide parts and maintenance services for all the former’s equipment with manufacturer’s warranty.

    The collaboration will focus on skills acquisition, equipment maintenance and technology transfer to boost growth in the nation’s economy.

    The Managing Director of Alfa Laval, Mrs. Maryne Lemvik, said the company will participate in the upcoming Nigeria Oil and Gas (NOG) conference and exhibition, which will hold at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, between February 18 and 21.

    Lemvik said that Nigeria is a very fast-growing economy and has become globally relevant to equipment makers such as her company. She said: “We see growth and opportunities in Nigeria and we want to be fully involved. Our ambition is to provide for companies in the oil and gas sector a wide range of key solutions designed for increased efficient performance.”

    Established in 1883 with headquarters in Sweden and regional offices across the world, Alfa Laval is a global manufacturer of equipment specially designed for oil and gas sector. Such equipment, include systems for liquid/solid separation, heat transfer and treatment, fluid handling, among others, and operates in Nigeria both directly and through distributors.

    Jocam is a representative company that has wide range of interests in the oil and gas, power and marine support services such as international procurement, coating, and equipment stocking; sales and services of all range of industrial equipment for surface preparation, design, installation and maintenance.

    The Managing Director of Jocam, Mr. Nnamdi Okam, said that the Nigeria Oil Gas conference and exhibition will afford the visiting Swedish team an opportunity to interact with “our clients with a view to understanding the challenges of performance and maintenance of Alfa Laval equipment as well as introduce the latest and most modern solutions for improved productivity and cost-efficiency in the industry because oil and gas industry in Nigeria is yet to attain its full potential as most of the key technologies and expertise needed for optimal operation are still sourced from abroad.”

    The Communications Manager of Alfa Laval, Virginia Nordmann, said the company is a leading global provider of specialised products and engineering solutions based on its key technologies of heat transfer, separation and fluid handling.

     

     

  • Local content: biometric registration for expatriate workers

    The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has directed that expatriates working in the Nigerian oil and gas industry would, henceforth, undertake biometric registration as part of conditions they must fulfil before their organisations can secure expatriate quota approvals from the Board.

    The exercise, according to the board, will capture details of all foreigners working for operating and service companies in Nigeria on the electronic platform – Nigerian Content Joint Qualification System, (NOJICJQS) being operated by the Board.

    NCDMB Executive Secretary, Ernest Nwapa stated this in Lagos at the Addax Executive Business Seminar on Nigerian Content. He said the exercise will start in the first quarter of 2013.

    The registration, he noted, will help the board evaluate the skills of the expatriates and confirm that such skills are not available locally in the industry. It will also assist the board to electronically track the numbers of expatriates in the industry, their length of stay, compliance with provided succession plans and expected date of exit.

    He said at the completion of the biometric registration, each expatriate will get a unique card, which he or she will produce whenever the monitoring team from the board comes around for periodic verification.

    Nwapa added that Section 33 of the NOGICD Act mandates operators to apply and receive the approval of the Board before making any application for expatriate quota to the Ministry of Internal Affairs or any other agency of the Federal Government.

    Among other conditions, the Board requires companies seeking to get expatriate quota approvals for their operations in the oil and gas industry to first advertise the positions to Nigerians through national and international media outfits.

    Other new initiatives of the Board endorsed by its Governing Council chaired by Mrs. Deziani Alison-Madueke, include the planned establishment of industrial parks in each oil producing state in partnership with the state governments. This will stimulate the participation of the communities in the local supply chain and provide a direct platform for collaboration with original equipment manufacturers that are now required to manufacture a minimum proportion of components in Nigeria.

    He said the Board will collaborate with major operators, service companies and the relevant state governments to build industrial parks, which will support operations of the industry and help achieve service efficiency through shared services.

    Other benefits of the industrial park concept include the reduction of start-up investment cost for new business, stakeholders’ collaboration and industry commitment to utilise manufactured products from industrial parks.

    The parks will host manufacturing activities driven by the oil and gas industry demand but will certainly service other sectors of the economy as they grow organically into integrated industrial zones. The start-up product slate will include steel pipes and allied fittings, switch gears , panels, skids, pipe racks and brackets, environmental protection equipment and chemicals. It will also include industrial gases, computers, telecom and other ICT equipment components, furniture, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, bolts and nuts, and drilling fluids.

    Nwapa said that the strategy has been successfully deployed to stimulate small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) focused on the oil and gas technology into sustainable engines for technological growth and employment at the grass root level.

    He noted that the major operators will benefit from increased entrepreneurial activities in their host communities, adding that the Board has reached out to the state governments to participate in an SME fair to enable it identify companies with potentials to incubate and grow.

    In this way, over 100,000 productive jobs will be created across the communities for skills ranging from professional to artisanal and deemphasize the social employment prevalent in the communities.

    “The fair will identify SMEs with capacity, which will be supported and accommodated in the new industrial parks to manufacture goods used in industry with the active involvement of the traditional OEMs,” he added.

    He said the Board would activate the provisions of the Act to provide specific incentives for OEMs that participate in the initiative such as locking in orders for equipment or components manufactured/assembled in these parks for extended period. He added that Nigerian companies had committed to invest over $600 million in the manufacture and assembly of various equipments and components.

  • Falcon Petroleum eyes gas distribution in Ghana

    •To manufacture equipment

    Falcon Petroleum Limited, which has the franchise to distribute natural gas to industries and bulk energy users in Ikorodu, Lagos, has concluded arrangement to extend distribution of the product to Ghana.

    The Managing Director of the company, Prof. Joseph Ezigbo, made this known at an event for women of Ikorodu Phase II pipeline host communities.

    He said: “We are not only hoping to invest in Nigeria, we are also looking at Ghana. At the moment, we are working with our partners in Ghana to supply gas in the West African country. We are interested in building a gasification plant in Ghana to supply gas to industries in that country.

    “Though Ghana is already getting gas from Nigeria through the West Africa Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo), this is not enough for Ghana at the moment.”

    On the other plans of the company, Ezigbo said: “Falcon Petroleum has grown substantially. We are consolidating on pumping gas to industries. We are also increasing our capacity. At the moment, the company is building a 12-inch gas pipeline. This will increase the gas supply as well as gas coming into our system. This will also increase the ability of our customers to be connected to our gas supply grid as required.

    “We have also gone into assembly and manufacturing of equipment, which is used in the country’s oil and gas sector. We have entered into a partnership with a company in India to operate a company in Nigeria to fabricate gas stations. We believe that when the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) is passed, there will be industrial explosion in the country. That means the industrial development will escalate.

    “We hope to complete the first phase by March this year. We are also trying to expand to other areas of the country because whether we believe it or not, industries depend on gas and the industrial revolution will not just be within the western region, but all over the country.”

    Commenting on the company, Ezigbo said: “As the first phase of the Ikorodu gas distribution phase project continues to witness an upsurge in the gas requirements of customers, and coupled with new industrial off-takers and prospects positioned along the Lagoon expansion axis, Falcon Petroleum Limited has initiated a capacity upgrade on its existing City Gate metering and regulating facility.

    “The capacity upgrade is necessary to enable the company to meet its immediate, medium and long-term supply obligations to its ever growing customer base. The new 25 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) capacity City Gate station will ensure a hitch-free gas delivery to all our customers in accordance to the requirements. The enhanced station will also ensure availability of excess capacity to meet any future supply nominations that may be required over the next few years.”

    He said the Ikorodu community has provided friendly environment for the company’s operations.

    “In Ikorodu, the people are so civilised and are very appreciative as well. This vocational training being sponsored by Falcon Petroleum is a way of saying thank you to the people of Ikorodu.

    “We will not stop here. We will send them for industrial attachment and will have monitoring team to monitor them, after which a starter-pack will be provided for them. They will be given a certain amount of money and equipment to start their businesses and we monitor them for one year to ensure that the system goes on as planned.

    “At the end of the training, we will select another group. It is a progressive thing because at the end of the day, the company would have empowered them to face the future positively.”

    Falcon Petroleum supplies gas to industrial giants such as Mayor Engineering, Spintex Mills, African Steel Mills, Sunflag Steel, Lucky Fibres and Energy Company of Nigeria – an independent power plant,, among others.

     

  • Nipco rewards loyal marketers

    Nipco Plc, an integrated downstream operator, appreciated its customers for their patronage and delivering quality service, particularly in the dispensing of petroleum products to Nigerians in all parts of the country.

    The event, which held at the company’s terminal in Lagos, was to recognise and honour outstanding marketers in which the overall best marketer for last year, went to Tamal Petroleum Nigeria Limited, based in Katsina State.

    The Managing Director of the company, Alhaji Muhammadu Usman Sarki, received the award on behalf of the company. He expressed appreciation for the honour and pledged to consolidate on the company’s business relationship with Nipco by pulling more volumes this year.

    Presenting the award to the recipient on behalf of Nipco, the Executive Director, Finance, Mr Ramesh Virwani, said the award was in recognition of the outstanding performance of the marketing company in the distribution of petroleum products to end-users through its outlets.

    Virwani assured the marketing companies doing business with Nipco of its excellent service delivery, which he added, is beneficial to both parties and in the interest of the sector.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Conoil’s drive to export lubricants gets boost

    Conoil’s drive to export its lubricant brands to the West African countries got a boost with the company’s admission into the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS).

    Its admission into the scheme, a source from the company said, would afford it the opportunity to export its high grade, made in Nigeria motor engine oils to established markets in the sub-region duty free.

    The scheme was adopted by ECOWAS member states to eliminate trade barriers and facilitate trade integration, improve the foreign exchange earnings of companies of member states and create more jobs in their respective countries.

    The Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) had earlier certified the quality of Conoil lubricants as export compliant.

    A statement by the company proffered that the ETLS admission qualified Conoil to participate in ECOWAS Export Expansion Grant Scheme (EEG) and enjoy at least 30 per cent rebate on its yearly export earnings.

    Conoil’s foray into the export market came from an exhaustive business research, which revealed a viable market for the company’s brand of engine oils in the sub-region, the statement added.

    Its flagship lubricant brands, Quatro and Golden Super Motor Oil, hold top positions in the Nigerian market and are adjudged the brand of choice. Quatro, the company’s premium grade, which has the American Petroleum Institute’s (API) seal of excellence, has clinched the “Lubricant of the Year” award for several years in Nigeria, the statement said.

    Quatro contains highly refined paraffin base oils and hi-tech additives that ensure minimal fuel consumption and protect car engine from rust while the Golden Super Motor oil on the other hand, has anti-wear/high detergency and oxidation resistance additives that ensure a longer engine lifespan.

    Also available are wide range of industrial lubricants for applications in manufacturing, textile, cement, breweries, oil exploration and producing companies, and transmission oils for the gear system of vehicles.

    The company controls about 30 percent of the nation’s lubricant market and has also committed substantial investments to upgrade and expand its lubricant blending plants at its depots at Apapa, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kano with a view to meeting and surpassing customers’ ever increasing demand for its quality engine oil.

     

  • Production from Port Harcourt refinery hits 17m litres daily

    With the maintenance work carried out by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) at Port Harcourt Refinery, it now produces 17 million litres of different products per day, it was learnt.

    The new production level was attained as a result of the rehabilitation of the nitrogen plant of the 210, 000 barrels per day refinery, which has been dysfunctional for over a year.

    However, the optimisation of the refinery is being limited by the incidence of vandalism of the pipelines that supply crude and evacuates products from the refinery.

    Spokesman of the company Mr. Ralph Ugwu, had told reporters that the refinery produces about 7.5 million litres of premium motor spirit (petrol), three million litres of dual purpose kerosene (DPK) and 6.5 million litres of automotive gas oil (diesel).

    Ugwu said production from the refinery now contributes to the nation’s petroleum products supply to guarantee availability of fuel Nigerians. The development, he added is part of NNPC’s plan to reduce the volume of imported fuel especially petrol as well as subsidy paid by the government.

    Ugwu noted that the management of Port Harcourt refinery have activated processes to bring the critical units of the plant back into operation adding that the fixing of the Nitrogen plant has also paved way for the maintenance and putting other vital sections of the refinery into operation, including the Catalytic Reforming Unit (CRU) and Naphtha Hydro-treating unit (NHU).

    He said that when the planned turnaround maintenance of the refinery is completed, production would increase by about 30 percent.

    The Group Executive Director, Refineries and Petrochemicals, NNPC, Tony Ogbuigwe, commended the management of the Port Harcourt refinery for the commitment to ensuring increased output from the refinery and assured them of NNPC’s support to sustaining operation of the plant.

    The Managing Director of the refinery, Ian Udoh, said the members of staff of the company are committed noting that the modest success achieved was due to the foundation laid by his predecessor Ogbuigwe. He urged the staff to sustain the tempo despite challenges resulting from crude supply disruptions by oil thieves and vandals.

    On attacks on the pipeline, he said that 199 incidents were recorded product line from the refinery to Okrika Jetty in 2012 alone. He also noted that challenges of pipeline vandalism including pollution of the environment and economic loss.

    He also pointed at other concerns over the pipeline breaks to include environmental pollution and degradation, huge economic loss and possible fire outbreak in contiguous local communities.

    In view of the above challenges, Ugwu said the company has embarked on massive enlightenment campaigns in its various host communities stressing the dangers and effects of pipeline vandalism and product adulteration to health, safety, environment, machinery and the economy.

    “The management of PHRC passionately appeal to opinion leaders and government agencies to come to its aid in curbing the activities of vandals through the enlightenment of the citizens to enable the company deliver on its mandate of ensuring optimal and sustainable production of refined petroleum products for the benefit of all Nigerians,” Ugwu said.

  • Labour blames govt for inefficient electricity metering

    •Minister explains payment for meter 

    The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has blamed the Federal Government for the inability of the successor companies from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to ensure effective metering of its customers in the country.

    The National Secretary of NUEE, Comrade Joe Ajero, said the dearth of meters for electricity consumers in the country is because there is no company that manufactures meters in the country.

    Ajaero blamed the government during the inauguration of the electric power system simulator and mechanical training workshop at the Ijora Regional Training Centre as well as the newly upgraded 36-room executive hostel at Akangba Regional Training Centre, both in Lagos, by the Minister of State, Power, Hajia Zainab Ibrahim Kuchi.

    The facilities are owned by the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN).

    Ajero said the inability of the Federal Government to build meter manufacturing companies in the country caused the inconstancy pronouncement by the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) on payment for meter. The NERC Chairman, Dr. Sam Amadi, had initially told Nigerians that meters would be issued free of charge but a few months later, he reversed himself and said that meters would be paid for.

    The NUEE scribe criticised Nigeria’s total reliance on imported meters for consumption in-country. “Most of the meters that are in use in the country were imported by government which contributed immensely to the scarcity of meters we experience. The country would no longer continue to import meters. As big as we are as a country, we should at least have two to three meter manufacturing companies.

    “Government should urgently find lasting solution to the issue of meter manufacturing in the country before the sector is finally handed over to the investors.”

    The Minister of State for Power, Hajia Zainab Ibrahim Kuchi, however, quickly debunked what Ajaero said. She said that the allegation that Nigeria has no meter manufacturing company is untrue, adding that Nigeria has two metering manufacturing companies in Lagos and Zaria in Kaduna.

    Speaking on the reports of reversal of free meters for electricity consumers, Kuchi said that the government could not afford to buy the meters and give them free in view of budgetary constraints.

    She said: “Instead of the government to buy and give the meters free, we said let individuals take ownership, buy these meters and install them so as your tariffs are being done, the cost of meters will be deducted in terms of supply of the electricity the customer consumed. That is what the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is saying. It is not that NERC is reversing self. We wanted to go one way to do free metering for all Nigerians, then we realised the quantum cost in terms of budgeting, which we don’t have.

    “And we have privatisation round the corner, so how do we commit the successor companies? We cannot commit them so we are looking for a way out. The metering should continue supply of light and tariffs can be sequenced into payment and then when the successor companies come, we just flow with it instead of committing them and when they come it becomes an issue; that is all NERC is saying.”

     

  • Amnesty: 64 ex-militants get underwater, diving training

    The Federal Government’s amnesty programme yesterday yielded result with the graduation of 64 pardoned ex-militants of the Niger Delta from the diving school in Lagos.

    The ex-militants were trained through a joint venture partnership between the Nigerian Navy and Mieka Dive Limited at the Underwater Warfare School, NNS Navtra Quorra Command, Apapa, Lagos for 28 weeks.

    Speaking during the graduation ceremony, the Nigerian Navy Diving Coordinator, Captain Tajudeen Osoba, said the graduating students exhibited commitment and impressive behaviour. He said that divers are people who are specially trained to stay and work underwater for considerable period adding that no incident was recorded during the period.

    He noted that the students went through five classes of training, including the swimming pool, open water, commercial trooper, class 1 and 2 commercial training. He also noted that it was gratifying that within the 28 weeks no incident was recorded.

    The Managing Director, Mieka Dive Limited, Mr Pondi Kestin, said that the public, private sector partnership between the two organisations brought about success of the training programme adding that the training institute gave its best.

    He said: “I want to thank the Flag Officer Commanding NNS Navtra Quorra Command, Apapa and his men for the synergy, understanding and doggedness at ensuring the success of this first batch of trainees. We hope that this same gesture be extended throughout the remaining part of this partnership.

    “I thank the Federal Government, Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chairman, Amnesty Committee, Hon. Kingsley Kuku and the Minister of Education for their foresight which brought about this training programme. My desire is for them to continue this partnership as in this first phase.

    He advised the graduating trainees to be discipline, determined with positive attitude. “The experience you have garnered here must be put to good use to enhance your communal and socio-economic life. Henceforth, you must be good ambassadors of the Nigerian Navy and Mieka Dive Training Institute.

    “In the next batch of training, mistakes encountered previously would be completely avoided. An improved form of synergy will be explored to bring about better results, because success for us, is continues improvement in what we do.”

  • ‘There’s need to maintain standards in LPG sector’

    The government and stakeholders are making efforts to develop the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sector in the petroleum industry. But the plan by operators to reduce standards is akin to sitting on a keg of gun powder for unsuspecting and ignorant consumers and should be resisted, writes EMEKA UGWUANYI Assistant Editor (Energy).

     

    The liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sector, undoubtedly, requires investment, incentives and encouragement, not only from the oil and gas industry, but also from the Federal Government to deepen the country’s consumption level and support for existing and new investors to grow the sector.

    The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, at the LPG strategic workshop and conference held in Abuja in December, said Nigeria is ranked among the lowest consumers of LPG in Africa, having just 110,000 metric tonnes (MT) per annum as national consumption. It is in view of this that she said growing the LPG market is a critical component of the nation’s Gas Master Plan.

    She said as a result of infrastructure challenges, the country cannot consume the 150,000 metric tonnes of LPG per annum earmarked for the domestic market. She noted that upstream gas suppliers were directed to dedicate an agreed volume of LPG product to the domestic market, which made the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) to release 150000 MT of LPG per annum to the Nigerian domestic market.

    In an effort to address these challenges to open up the LPG market for increased utilisation and economic growth, the government came up with the LPG National Strategic Policy, which stressed safety, affordability and logistics but the Nigeria LNG Association plans to rubbish the efforts by reviewing the standards set by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) had also told importers of LPG cylinders to have a definite programme for maintenance of cylinders with trained personnel that will be inspecting and re-qualifying the cylinders. It said all importers of cylinders should sign an undertaking for taking full responsibility of the maintenance and requalification of such imported cylinders, adding that all importers seeking the renewal and approvals should meet the requirement.

    SON also directed that the expiry dates of cylinders shall be engraved or embossed on all cylinders. Cylinders have 15 years life span, it said.

    But the way Nigeria LPG Association is going about it showed it plans to alter the standards to the detriment of consumers of the product, which could endanger lives of users and the economy.

    The Nation gathered that members of the association plan to meet this week to discuss how to adjust the requirement set by SON in terms of mixture of components that make LPG.

    The two major elements that make up LPG are propane and butane. Propane has high pressure but it is about 45 per cent cheaper than butane, which has low pressure, but more costly. The SON’s requirement is that butane and propane should be mixed on equal measures of 50 per cent each. But investigation by The Nation showed marketers can mix the two elements at any percentage, or can use one element wholy, that is, either 100 per cent propane or butane.

    The danger in this, is that propane exerts a lot of pressure on the cylinder and considering the age of most cylinders used in Nigeria, this could spell doom because the likelihood of cylinder explosion will be very high.

    Investigation also revealed that using only propane or butane or a mixture of both at unspecified mixture is not the issue, but the danger is in the age of the cylinders. Experts in the industry said that the standard across the world is that all cylinders be built to propane specification. The safety in this measure is that if a marketer mixes the two elements on equal or different measures or 100 percent propane or butane, the end-user is guaranteed of his or her safety.

    Why the oil and gas industry regulators and SON should take the acquisition or importation of standard cylinders seriously is that there have been reports of seizure of imported sub-standard cylinders into the country by unscrupulous entrepreneurs. The regulators including SON should also refocus attention on the existing cylinders in-country and find a way of phasing out or stopping re-entry of old and expired cylinders into circulation and the market.

    It was also learnt that there was a time the SON directed that the cylinders that should be used in-country should be the propane standard so that whatever LPG a marketer imports or buys would be safe for use but most of the operators that import and use substandard and aged cylinders kicked against the directive. They insisted that the 50-50 propane and butane mixture should continue to apply, however, many of them, it was learnt, are not faithful to the specification in order to make more profit putting the lives and homes of end-users in danger.

    Now that the Federal Government wants to intervene on sustainable basis to grow the LPG sector with the promise of importing cylinders, which will be sold to Nigeria2ns at a giveaway price to deepen consumption and ensure penetration of usage into the rural areas, standardised cylinders specified to take only propane should be the best option so that whatever grade of LPG would be safe for consumers.

    Therefore, as the Nigeria LPG Association, meets this week to deliberate on the review of SON’s requirement on LPG, SON, Department of Petroleum Resources and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources should insist on importation and use of cylinders that should take 100 percent propane so that whatever grade of LPG sold to end-users should guarantee their safety. It is also good coincidence that the Nigeria LPG Association invited the SON to the meeting this week. SON should refuse to be compromised because the standards were laid down for use in Nigeria was produced by experts. The technical committee that worked on the Standard for Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) done under the Nigerian Industrial Standard had representatives from companies such as Petroleum Academy Limited, Mobil Oil, Chevron Oil Plc (now MRS), Total Plc, Oando, DPR, Consumer Protection Council, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and Conoil Plc, among others.

    Besides, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources’ LPG National Strategic Policy had made provision to enhance growth of the LPG sector by creating programmes that will lead to phased reduction in subsidy, reduction of use of kerosene and increase in use of LPG, as well as subsidy for LPG, among others.

  • Ibadan Disco reinforces supply, seeks customers’ cooperation

    The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (DISCO) of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) has built new power facilities and upgraded existing ones to improve power supply within its network.

    The company’s Principal Manager (Public Affairs), Tokunbo Peters, said the company has in the last six months commissioned five different injection substations and replaced some obsolete and problematic 11KV panels with modern ones, while also constructing new 11KV feeders and commissioning scores of distribution substations to deliver power to its customers.

    He said the projects are located at different parts of the company’s network, which include Gaa – Imam, 1×15 MVA 33/11KV injection sub-station in Ilorin, Kwara State. The project has relieved the existing 1×7.5 MVA transformer at Gaa – Imam, Ilorin. Other project commissioned include Ondo Road 2x15MVA 33/11KV injection substation in Ile-Ife, Ikirun Township 2x15MVA 33/11KV injection substation in Ikirun ,all in Osun State; Mokowa 1×2.5MVA 33/11KV substation in Niger State and Igbaja 1×2.5MVA 33/11KV substation in Kwara State.

    Other projects include the replacement of obsolete 11KV switchgear with a 7-panel board at Offa 2×7.5 MVA, 33/11KV injection substation in Kwara State, 11KV switchgear with a 7-panel board at Ibadan North 1x15MVA injection substation in Oyo State and replacement of obsolete 7-panel board at old Owode Road 3 x 15MVA 33/11KV injection substation in Abeokuta ,Ogun State with modern ABB 11KV switchgear with a 7 board panels; replacement of obsolete and problematic 11KV panels at Eleweran injection sub-station in Ogun State with modern ABB 11KV panels, and the replacement of obsolete 11KV panels at Abiola Way 1 x 15MVA 33/11KV injection sub-station in Abeokuta, Ogun State with modern panels and installation of 11KV Tarvida panel at Eleyele 2x15MVA 33/11KV injection substation for Ologuneru 11kV feeder in Oyo State .

    Peters said that in addition to injecting more power transformers to its network, the company also constructed scores of 11KV feeders in different locations within its network. Among these feeders are GRA and Baba Ode 11KV feeders in Ilorin, and Ologuneru 11KV overhead line to separate Ologuneru leg from the existing 11KV industrial feeder in Ibadan, Oyo state.

    He said: “These projects which are spread across Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Kwara and some parts of Niger, Kogi and Ekiti States have not only improved the quality of power supply to customers in the company’s network, but it has also increased the capacity of the company to evacuate more power from the Transmission Company of Nigeria to the Nigerian public. Thus, majority of the company’s customers now enjoy longer hours of power supply with very little interruptions.

    “Similar projects, which are at varying stages of completion, will be completed this year and this will bring a lot of improvement to areas still experiencing poor service delivery. Also, scores of distribution substations were commissioned in 2012 to relieve over loaded substations, which improved the quality of power delivered to the public. The company is presently allocating more distribution transformers for replacement and upgrading of failed ones to the 22 Business Units in its network.”

    The Chief Executive Officer of the company, Bolaji Oyesiku, stressed that the company is committed to ensuring quality service to all the nooks and crannies of its network but noted that the company needs the customers’ support and cooperation in order to achieve the set objectives. He enjoined the customers to reciprocate the company’s efforts by prompt and regular payment of electricity bills.

    The company sought customers to always cooperate with it especially during the execution of projects, in order to serve them better. The appeal, it noted, became necessary due to a recent incident in Ifeloju community in Ifo Local Government area of Ogun State where the community prevented its technicians from replacing a faulty 500KVA 11/0.415KV transformer with a new one.

     

    Rather, the community was insisting on being transferred from the 11KV network from where they were being serviced before the transformer became faulty, to a 33KV circuit.

     

     

    “As a matter of policy, PHCN does not encourage the connecting of distribution transformers on 33KV lines because the lines are supposed to be express feeder from 132/33KV transmission substations to PHCN Injection substations. Connecting public transformers on them will lead to reduced capacity availability at PHCN injection substation and make the 11KV customers to be subjected to very frequent load shedding. Connecting public transformers on the 33KV circuit will also lead to increase on the frequency of fault on the line while also increasing the occurrence of planned and forced outages.

    “In the light of the challenges associated with connecting public transformers on 33KV lines, PHCN hereby enjoins all communities in its network to allow the company execute its operations in line with prescribed statutory regulations, as that is the only way the company can sustain and even surpass the present improvement in service delivery.”