The Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) yesterday visited the 435megawatt (Mw) Geregu II gas powered plant in order to stabilize the national grid with a spinning reserve and ancillary services.
Addressing reporters after taking a tour of the plant in Ajaokuta Local Government Area of Kogi State, its Managing Director, Jennifer Adighije, said since the transmission grid network has been susceptible to disruptions, it was necessary to visit the plant to ensure its optimal performance.
She said the company wants to guarantee solutions to blackstart services, spinning reserves and ancillary services to build further resilience for the grid.
“And also in rendering services to the transmission network, for instance, blackstart services and ancillary services, spinning reserve services.
“We want to ensure that we are able to offer those solutions to enhance the grid stability and to build further resilience for the grid,” she said.
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Explaining why she led the management team, including Steve Azinge, Steve Abdullahi and others to the plant, she said: “We do recognize the fact that very recently, our transmission grid network has been very vulnerable to disruptions, and therefore, it is expedient upon us as management to come down to the field to ensure that our power plants and our equipment are working and performing optimally.
“Optimally to render services to the transmission grid that would ensure that there’s grid stability, and that would ensure that we’re able to sustain the performance of the power sector as a whole.”
Adighije described staff welfare issue as a cardinal priority of the management, which also accounted for her visit to familiarize with the staff.
According to her, operational issues could be resolved from the head office in Abuja.
She said: “We are committed to delivering on our mandate, and that mandate, for us, a priority in that mandate is you.
“The cardinal priority is on staff welfare, which is why I insisted on coming here to meet you, familiarize with you, and to associate with you. The issues, operational issues, we can resolve from Abuja.”
The NDPHC boss said the management has already started to address some of the manpower issues, chiefly, the staff dichotomy that the workforce complained about.
According to her, to regularize the staff employment and phase out the existing dichotomy is subject to the approval of the board.
The Managing Director said the company is already applying a solution to ensure there is no third party staff among the workforce in order to give all a sense of belonging.
She said: “Top of the list is this issue of staff disparity and staff dichotomy, which I do not agree with, because we are one family.
“Every staff, whatever your job function, whatever your role, you are valuable to us. So we have started the process, but of course you know that it’s subject to board approval, but at exco level, we have come up with solutions to ensure that we begin to do the necessary to migrate staff, particularly the third-party staff, to feel better served by the company and to feel a sense of belonging.”
Stressing that the success of the plant is a factor of staff welfare, she vowed to tackle their constraints.
Adighije said: “So that is a demonstration of our commitment to our manpower, and because we know that when our manpower are happy, our machines will be happy. So I want to let you know that we understand the issues.
“You don’t even need to say it. We feel your pulse. We feel your pains, and this management, we’re committed to changing the narrative.”
She urged the workers to understand that the issue is already getting the necessary attention and patiently wait for when it will be finally addressed.
On operational challenges, she said the company has started a process for communicating with the Chief Operating Officer and the General Manager in order to proffer solutions to the challenges.
Continuing, she said because of the financial constraint and grid limitations that are impeding on the company’s revenue earning potential it has to prioritize its needs
Adighije said: “But you must also understand that we have financial constraints. I am sure you know our operational limitations, grid limitations, and all of that, that impacts our revenue earning potential.
“And therefore, as such, we are duty-bound to ensure that we spend prudently and judiciously. So we’ll prioritize our needs, but like I said, be rest assured that you have the commitment of this leadership.”