The Nation Newspaper

Tag: PHCN

  • Ikeja PHCN spends N501m to strengthen network

    Ikeja PHCN spends N501m to strengthen network

    he Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company said it spent N501 million on old and new projects to strengthen its network aimed at ensuring improved electricity supply.

    The Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr Chris Okaa Akamnonu, disclosed this when the members of House of Representatives Committee on Power, paid a visit to the company as part of its oversight functions.

    Akamnonu said the money was spent on 65 projects, including completed and ongoing ones and promised that once there are funds, which he said that the government is committed to providing, the majority of the ongoing projects would be completed before end of the year.

    He said the materials needed to complete the projects would be sourced from Nigeria, therefore it would not be difficult to procure and install.

    He said the company has worked hard to ensure that customers within the network do get get regular power supply, which some customers present at the event testified to.

    The Chairman of the committee, Hon. Patrick Ikhariale, urged the company to follow due process in its activities and ensure accountability and quality service delivery. He also urged Akamnonu to be committed in implementing constituency projects of House of Reps members that fall within his company’s areas of operation.

    When the committee members visited the Eko Electricity Distribution Company, the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr Oladele Amoda, told them that millions of naira belonging to them is still trapped in some branches of Firstbank following Mareva court order secured by the Lagos State Government, which restrained the utility company from accessing the fund.

    Amoda told the lawmakers that Eko’s funds totalling N480,331,269.28 is still stalled in the banks as a result of the order. He noted however, that the order affects only PHCN’s funds in First Bank. Further enquiries by The Nation, showed that the Mareva order, which was handed down by a high court in May, affected all PHCN’s deposits in First Bank until perhaps lodgements were stopped

    A breakdown of the trapped funds are as follows: May N138,904,214.75; June N289,457,059.68; July N51,734,351.10; and August N235,643.75 but Amoda said that the issue was being handled at the highest level of the power sector management.

    It was also learnt that if other companies’ funds trapped in the banks as a result of the court order are added, it would run into tens of billions of naira.

    The Chairman of the House Committee, Hon. Patrick Ikhariale and his members including Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, promised to unravel the complexities in the case and seek ways to resolve the conflict.

    The presentations by the two distribution companies showed that the government is yet to release the budgetary allocations to them.

    Ikhariale stressed the need for the distribution companies to follow due process in the ongoing privatisation of the assets of the PHCN. He said such due process will not only boost investors’ confidence, but also enable the companies to know the cost incurred in carrying out their businesses and how to recoup their investment.

    The committee advocated that the Federal Government should have a stake in the power sector in spite of the privatisation programme. The chairman said there is nowhere the power distribution, generation and transmission is left for the private sector.

    He said: “The government must still have a stake in the power sector. The fact that privatisation of the power sector is ongoing does not mean the government should hands off its duties and responsibilities in the sector.”

  • Minister orders distribution of transformers to states

    Minister orders distribution of transformers to states

    The Minister of State for Power, Darius Ishaku, has directed that all 33/11KV transformers, transformers panels, oils and other power equipment at the Central Stores of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria,(PHCN), Shogunle, Lagos , be allocated to every part of the country that needs them within the next two weeks.

    In a statement by the Assistant Director, Press, Patricia Doweritshe, the move is to ameliorate the plight of the communities affected by power supply due to damaged transformers .

    She said the Minister gave the directives in Lagos, when he paid an unscheduled visit to the PHCN Central Stores, adding that he was surprised that over 2000 transformers and other accessories for the transmission and distribution of power effectively to Nigerians were idling away at the central stores, while consumers are complaining of damaged transformers.

    She said Ishaku was at the Ikorodu Port of the Nigeria Customs and Excise, to receive inventory of all the Power equipment at their custody, since 2004, adding that the Minister took delivery of these equipment from the Comptroller of the Port, Dan Ogu, who represented the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs and Excise, Abdulahhi Inde Dikko, and thanked the Customs for protecting the equipment from vandals all these years.

    He assured that these equipment would further consolidate power supply in the country, as they would be distributed to all successor companies of the PHCN according to their requirements.

    He said a Distribution Committee would be set up to identify areas of needs to enable each company take delivery of the available equipment.

    Ishaku said government is anxious to see a quantum leap in power supply to the citizenry and therefore directed the chief executives of these companies to pick up their allocations from the port before the end of October.

    The Minister was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Dere Awosika and the Chief Executive Officers of Eko and Ikeja Distribution Companies, Chris Akamnonu and Amoda.

  • PHCN: FirstBank, Otedola, IBB, Elumelu bid $1.11b

    PHCN: FirstBank, Otedola, IBB, Elumelu bid $1.11b

    Berger, Nestoil, others among successful bidders 

    A MAJOR step in the battle for stable electricity was taken yesterday.

    Construction giant Julius Berger, First Bank, Transcorp and Forte Oil, owned by businessman Femi Otedola, are among the consortia of companies named as successful bidders for the unbundled Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) generation firms.

    Five of the six generation companies were put up for the bid. The sixth – Afam Generation Company – was excluded because non of the three companies that submitted bids for it was qualified.

    The six generation companies are part of the 18 firms in the unbundled PHCN – the power behomoth that has failed to take this country out of darkness.

    National Council on Privatisation (NCP) chair Mr. Atedo Peterside announced the result.

    The companies are located in Geregu, Ughelli, Sapele, Shiroro and Kainji.

    The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) named a consortium, which includes Transcorp Nigeria Plc, as the highest bidder for the Ughelli Power Plc, with an offer of $300 million.

    The consortium of Transcorp and Wood Rock/Symbion Power/Medea/PSL/Thomasen emerged as the preferred bidder over Amperion Power Distribution Ltd and Feniks Electricity.

    Amperion, a consortium, which includes Forte Oil Plc, a petrol marketing firm with majority shares owned by Otedola, offered $252 million to emerge as reserve bidder.

    Symbion Power is a United States (U.S) electricity company, Medea is a Luxemburg-based engineering firm. PSL is an indigenous firm and Thomassen Services, an Oman engineering company.

    For Geregu Power Plant, a group known as Amperion Power Distribution Ltd, which includes Forte Oil Plc, won with a bid of 132 million.

    Other partners in Amperion include Guernsey, a company located in a United Kingdom (UK) protectorate in Europe and Shanghai Municipal Electric Power of China.

    For Sapele Power Plc, CMEC/Eurafric Energy JV, a consortium, which includes financial giant FirstBank Nigeria Plc, won the bid with an offer of $201 million.

    The reserved bidder for Sapele is a group comprising Julius Berger Nigeria, which offered $106.5 million above the reserve price of $106 million.

    North-South Power Company Ltd, with former Military President Gen. Ibrahim Babangida as a promoter, Niger State government as a stakeholder, won the bid for Shiroro Power Plant, offering $23.6 million.

    Other core investors in the company include indigenous firms XS Energy Ltd, BP Investment Ltd, Urban Shelter Ltd and Road Nigeria Plc.

    The “Shiroro Group’’ also has China International Water Electric and China Three Gorges Corporation, an electric power utility company.

    For Kainji, Mainstream Energy Solutions Ltd, a consortium which includes businessman Col. Sani Bello, and NIGELEC, a Niger Republic registered company, is the preferred bidder, with an offer of $50.7 million.

    The companies offered a total $1.119billion for the five companies.

    The eight firms that qualified for the five companies are: Amperion Power Distribution Company Limited (Geregu), Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited (Kainji), North-South Power Company Limited (Shiroro), Amperion Power Distribution Company Limited (Ughelli), Feniks Electricity Limited (Ughelli), Transcorp & Woodrock/ Symbion/ Medea/ PSL/ Thomassen (Ughelli), CMEC/Eurafric Energy JV (Sapele) and JBN-Nestoil Power Services Limited (Sapele).

    The NCP reminded Amperion Power Distribution Limited that the rules allow it to win only one generation company.

    Peterside said: “Out of the 23 bids that made it to the evaluation stage, 10 failed the first test of completeness and responsiveness. The remaining 13 bids were then subjected to full technical evaluation. Out of the 13 bids, eight scored the minimum of 75 per cent that was required to progress to the next stage. The bidders that scored 75 per cent and above were asked to submit the post-qualification bidders’ guarantee, following the approval of the evaluation results by NCP.

    “Officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) also observed the entire process from bid submission to the conclusion of evaluation. They were, therefore, witnesses to the fact that all late-comers were turned back.”

    The NCP chairman said there was no controversy over the sale of generation plants located in Kainji and Shiroro in Kwara and Niger states.

    “Kainji and Shiroro are hydro assets; you cannot sell River Niger and you can only give a consensus to the people utilising it. So there is no controversy over the issue of hydro plants,” he said.

    Mr Obinna Okudo, Chief Executive Officer of Transcorp, told reporters that his company would “deliver optimum services to Nigerians.’’

    “We are going to let Nigerians know that a Nigerian company can lead a foremost Nigerian sector (electricity),’’ he said shortly after his company was announced as the preferred bidder for Ughelli.

    Director-General Bolanle Onagoruwa assured investors of NCP’s commitment to international best practice in the sale of the 17 PHCN successor companies.

    Onagoruwa said: “We wish to reaffirm that the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) will continue to ensure that electricity sector privatisation transactions are completed to the best of internationally accepted standards.

    “We have come so far and achieved so much since mid-2010 when this administration restarted the electricity sector reform programme.

    “With your support and with the strong desire to serve our patient and long-suffering citizens of Nigeria, we will continue to strive to achieve even more and ultimately succeed.’’

     

  • PHCN firms: Oando, Vigeo, others to wait

    PHCN firms: Oando, Vigeo, others to wait

    BIDDERS for electricity distribution companies will have to wait longer as the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) yesterday postponed the opening of financial bids. The opening of bid, earlier scheduled for October 10 will now hold on October 16.

    A statement by the BPE in Abuja said the postponement was to give bidders the required 15 working days to procure and submit their post-qualification security.

    The agency said the shift in date was necessitated by the time lost from the postponement of the last meeting of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) from September 13 to September 18.

    It assured stakeholders that all other dates in the timeline for the privatisation of the successor companies of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) remained unchanged.

    The agency said the opening of the financial bids of investors for the five generation companies, whose technical proposals met the requirement would take place as scheduled on Tuesday.

    The statement named the three bidders shortlisted for Ughelli Power as Feniks Electricity, Transcorp and Wood Rock/Symbion Power/Medea/PSL/Thomasen and Amperion Power Distribution Ltd.

    For Sapele Power Plc, CMEC/EURAFRIC Energy and JBN-Nestoil Power Services were shortlisted. Amperion Power Distribution Ltd emerged for Geregu Power Plc.

    Mainstream Energy Solutions was shortlisted for the Kainji Power Plc. North-South Power was listed for Shiroro Power Plc.

    On Afam Power Plc, the sixth generation company put up for sale, the privatisation agency said no bidder was technically qualified for the company.

    On September 18, the NCP approved a list of prospective investors qualified to bid for 10 electricity distribution companies.

    The electricity distribution firms proposed for sale are located in Ibadan, Ikeja, Abuja, Enugu, Jos, Eko, Port Harcourt, Yola, Kano, Benin and Kaduna.

    The NCP said Ikeja Distribution Company received the highest number of qualified bids with eight firms.

    They are: Oando Consortium, Amperion Power Distribution Company Ltd, Honeywell Energy Resources Limited and Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Company.

    Others are Vigeo Holdings, Gumco, African Corporation AFC and CESC, Kepco/NEDC Consortium, West Power and Gas and Rockson Engineering.

    The Eko Distribution Company received the second highest number of bids, with six firms showing interest.

    The bidders are Oando Consortium, Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Company, Sepco-Pacific Energy Consortium, Kepco/NEDC Consortium, Honeywell Energy Resources, Limited West Power and Gas as well as Rockson Engineering.

    Three bidders shortlisted for Ibadan Distribution Company are Western Consortium, Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Company and Kepco/NEDC Consortium.

    For the Abuja Distribution Firm, the NCP approved two bids, namely, Kam Consortium Utility Company Ltd. and Interstate Electrics Ltd.

    Four firms emerged for the Enugu company – Rensmart Power Ltd, Proglobal Power International consortium, Interstate Electrics and Eastern Electric Nigeria Ltd.

    Aura Energy Limited was the only bidder for the Jos Distribution Company. Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Company emerged for Yola. Sahelian Power SPV Ltd. was named for Kano.

    Two bidders were shortlisted for the Port Harcourt Distribution Company. They are 4Power Consortium and Rockson Engineering.

    For the Benin Distribution company, four firms emerged. They are: Southern Electric Distribution Company, Rensmart Power Ltd., Vigeo Power Consortium and Rockson Engineering.

    The prospective bidders listed by the NCP were for 10 distribution companies, excluding the Kaduna Distribution Company.

    The council said the two bids received for Kaduna were not “technically qualified’’. Fresh bids will be invited from all the pre-qualified bidders in respect of the company.

    This implies that all the 54 companies that previously submitted technical and financial bids to acquire majority stakes in the 11 distribution companies will be eligible for the fresh.

  • Dangers of tampering with PHCN installations

    Dangers of tampering with PHCN installations

    SIR: The picture of a man on a pole belonging to Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) attempting to fix a cable in Samaru, Zaria featured on page 4 of Daily Trust edition of Monday, September 17, could best be described as one on a suicide mission.

    He was probably reconnecting or attempting to reconnect a disconnected customer for a token or fixing an unauthorised fault to the detriment of his own precious life. Pictures are said to speak more than a million words. The apparent danger in ignorantly or consciously accepting to commit suicide, become a device employed in sabotaging public utilities, treating same with scornful indifference and as inconsequential facilities of no value was the essence of the pictorial message.

    In fact, this picture was as worrisome as it calls for caution and adequate enlightenment. Enlightenment will go a long way in bringing to the knowledge of PHCN’s esteemed customers the dangers inherent in tampering with installations without authorisation.

    The safety of life of those indulging in this illicit act can only be guaranteed by the Almighty as they may not live to tell the stories. Some unlucky ones who threw caution to the wind like this fellow were electrocuted while others live with the unforgettable scar resulting from burns as a reminder of an unfortunate adventure. This action could lead to short-circuiting of transformer (s) or trigger a monumental technical fault along PHCN network which thus throw the entire area into darkness. The effort of government in ensuring that the nagging problem of power is resolved should not be scuttled by a few involved in this act.

    This action deprives PHCN of the needed revenue generation expected to be ploughed back into serving the public better. Electric poles are normally climbed with recommended PHCN ladders only. Therefore, it is abnormal and fool-hardy climbing an electric pole with mere bare hands because chances of losing balance are high. Apart from the aforementioned dangers, the public should be duly informed that the extant laws of the nation frown at this act and a corresponding penalty of 21 years imprisonment await defaulters.

    In short, we have in our hands a time bomb waiting to explode. An ugly situation which practically threw up the quantum of attention and concern an individual Nigerian pay to the sanctity of his own life and that of his neighbours.

    It is our responsibility as individuals and community to safeguard public utilities in our domains especially that of PHCN for the important services they render. We should report any suspicious movement around PHCN installations to the police or the nearest PHCN Service Centres. Furthermore, our various communities should be willing allies of PHCN to be able to win this war by discouraging their people from partaking in this illegal act.

    The media is passionately called upon to assist PHCN in opinion moulding, audience penetration, information dissemination, education and enlightenment on this inherent danger constantly lurking in our neighbourhoods and brazenly ignored to our own peril. By so doing, the consciousness of the PHCN customers will be awakened to the realities and the consequences of this unwarranted trend.

     

    • Sunday Onyemaechi Eze

    Power Holding Company of Nigeria,

    Zaria, Kaduna

     

  • Oando, Vigeo, 19 others jostle for 10 PHCN discos

    Oando, Vigeo, 19 others jostle for 10 PHCN discos

    The Oando Consortium; Vigeo Holdings, Gumco, African Corporation AFC &CESC, Oba Otudeko’s Honeywell, and 18 other firms have been shortlisted by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) from the 54 firms that submitted bids to acquire the 11 electricity distribution companies (discos).

    The 11 discos are part of the 18 successor companies unbundled from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) but because none of the bidders met the requirement for the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, the 21 firms currently shortlisted would be jostling for 10 discos.

    Having passed the technical evaluation bid test, the BPE will on October 10, open the financial bids for the 21 companies. There are 14 firms bidding for the two distribution companies located in Lagos, the Ikeja and Eko.

    The companies whose bid were shortlisted for Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company include Vigeo Holdings, Gumco , Oando Consortium; Amperion Power Distribution Company Limited; Honeywell Energy Resources International Limited; Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Limited, African Corporation AFC &CESC; Kepco/NEDC Consortium; West Power and Gas and Rockson Engineering Limited.

    In Eko Disco, Oando Consortium, Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Limited, Sepco-Pacific Energy Consortium, Honeywell Energy Resources International Limited, Kepco/NEDC Consortium and West Power and Gas were shortlisted.

    For Ibadan Disco, three firms jumped the hurdle. They are Western Consortium, Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Company and Kepco/NEDC Consortium while Abuja has Kann Consortium Utility Company Limited and Interstate Electrics limited.

    The companies that made the Enugu Disco are Rensmart Power Limited, Proglobal Power International Consortium, Interstate Electrics Limited and Eastern Electric Nigeria Limited while Benin DisCo has Vigeo Power Consortium, Southern Electricity Distribution Company, Rensmart Power Limited and Rockson Engineering Limited.
    Port Harcourt Disco has Power Consortium and Rockson Engineering Limited as preferred bidders and for Yola Disco, only Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Company made the list.
    The only one company that made Jos Disco target is Aura Energy Limited while for Kano Disco only Power SPV Limited was shortlisted.
    The result of the successful firms was disclosed by National Council on Privatisation (NCP) at its fifth meeting presided over by Vice President Namadi Sambo at the Presidential Villa.

    Others at the meeting include, Atedo Peterside, Finance minister Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of State, Power, Darius Ishiaku and the Director-General, BPE, Ms Bolanle Onagoruwa.

    The financial bids for the five generation companies are slated for Tuesday, September 25, 2012 at Anambra\Borno\Cross River Hall, Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
    Peterside, who briefed newsmen at the end of the meeting, said fresh bids will be invited from all the pre-qualified bidders in accordance with laid down rules for bidders that paid the required $20,000 fee for the bid documents are to be considered.

     

  • PHCN: Nnaji has declared war –NLC

    PHCN: Nnaji has declared war –NLC

    • Wants FG to withdraw soldiers

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has described the continued presence of soldiers on the premises of the Power Holding of Company of Nigeria (PHCN) Limited, the payment of workers, retirement benefits at gun point and Federal Government’s refusal to pay the July salary as a declaration of war on workers by the Minister of Power, Prof Bath Nnaji.
    The Acting President of the congress, Comrade Promise Adewusi, told journalists in Abuja that the Federal Government should create an enabling environment for meaningful dialogue to resolve the issues at stake by calling the minister to order and withdraw soldiers from PHCN offices nationwide.
    He warned that since the government is forcing the workers to retire and go into the labour market it should not take away their benefit, which could worsen the already catastrophic situation in the country.
    “We already have enough catastrophes in the nation, but as it is, in spite of everything, we shall not mortgage the welfare because the workers’ pension and gratuity is the thing you cannot take away,” he said.
    “Prof. Nnaji has declared a war on Nigerian workers. And when he has declared a war and nobody is calling him to order, we are ready. We are calling on those who have ears because tomorrow, it will be said that labour wants to curtail this government. Let those who have ears and the capacity to call him now to order to ensure an honest process of negotiation not with fixated mind.”
    According to NLC, the minister has criminalized workers asking for their legitimate retirement benefits by resolving to describe them as terrorists and mischievous.
    On the ongoing negotiation between the government and the congress over the PHCN workers’ package and the privatization of the company, the Acting Secretary General of the congress, Comrade Chris Uyot, revealed that the state councils have been mandated to raise committees in preparation for the nationwide strike.
    He said : “we do not need any organ meeting again because that power has been invested as our own organ met in Benin. So, what happens next can be determined from this labour House. We are opened. We believe that this matter can be more amicably settled within the precinct of collective bargaining, negotiation. And we come with an open mind, we are not fixated. If we are fixated, everybody knows what is in the mind of our workers; it is either that or nothing. How are we going to approach this? Are there things that can be done to save this nation the trouble of going through turmoil that nobody knows where it will end.”

  • PHCN admits to fire that razed Okunowo’s house

    PHCN admits to fire that razed Okunowo’s house

    More than 7 weeks after a fire from Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN)’s office at Capital Building, Ring-road, Ibadan gutted and razed the multi-million naira duplex of ex-Super Eagles player, Gbenga Okunowo, PHCN seems to be adamant on the matter.

    The incident that occurred on 22nd July 2012 rendered the former Barcelona defender homeless and has forced him to be staying in hotels or with friends.

    Counsels to Okunowo, Rotimi Alli and Ibadan-based popular legal practitioner, Jibril Mohammed, who is also the lawyer to the late Rashidi Yekini, disclosed to newsmen in Ibadan that officials of PHCN admitted during interrogation by officers of the Oyo State CID that the fire actually emanated from their compound before spreading to Okunowo’s duplex. Okunowo was their next door neighbour.

    Mohammed also hinted that they have made all necessary efforts to get adequate compensation for Okunowo but PHCN that is responsible for the damage is not showing good concern over the matter.

    Okunowo, while speaking with the press at the Obafemi Awolowo training ground of All-stars FC, the team that he trains with to keep fit, lamented the hardship he is going through as the fire destroyed virtually all he had labored for in his entire career.

    “I’m only going to beg the PHCN to be prompt with whatever they want to do on the incident, as words cannot quantify the hardship I’m going through since Sunday July 22 that the ugly incident happened.

    “Since then I have been spending the little resources I have on hotel accommodation or I managed to stay in friends’ houses which was highly embarrassing and agonising; all I have worked for has been lost to the fire,” Okunowo lamented.

    Speaking in the same vein, Dimeji Lawal, who is coordinating All-stars FC, was dejected over the plight of the ex-football star, saying, “I’m not happy with the system we operate here in Nigeria, especially the people running our sports; would you believe that nobody has come out to assist Gbenga Okunowo since fire burned down his property? Not even the NFF.”

  • Power generation to exceed 7,000MW by December

    Data from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) facilities and the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP), show that the Federal Government will exceed power generation capacity of 7,000 megawatts (MW) by end of the year.

    The Managing Director of Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), which superintends the NIPP, Mr James Olotu, said the NIPP plant would supply at least 2500MW by year end. Generation from the PHCN facilities stood at 4477MW as at last month.

    While the government is making effort to rehabilitate dysfunctional units Egbin and other power plants, the NDPHC is also working to bring on stream new units from its power plants.

    Given this scenario, generation is expected to well exceed the current targeted combined generation of 6977MW.

    Olotu, who spoke at the inauguration of a newly built 150MVA transmission facility at the Ikeja West Transmission Station in Lagos, said four of the 10 plants supervised by NDPHC, are currently operational and generate 1150MW into the national grid. The four plants are Olorunsogo in Ogun State, Omotosho in Ondo State, Sapele in Delta State and Alaoji in Abia State.

    He assured that the improvement in power supply would be sustainable, adding that the NIPP henceforth would be inaugurating a new power facility either from generation or transmission or distribution every month.

    But categorically noted that each month new facilities would be commissioned to improve supply.

    Speaking during the inauguration of the 150MVA transmission facility at the Ikeja West Transmission Station, which brought the total capacity of the station to 750MVA, the General Manager, Transmission Company of Nigeria, Lagos Region, Oyeleke Adeoye, said the same 150MVA facility is being replicated at Akangba Transmission Station in Lagos.

    He said: “Ikeja West is a major station in Lagos. We have another one in Akangba and as you can see the leap achieved with this new facility, this additional capacity will affect the whole of Lagos State and part of Ogun State, up to Abeokuta. We have increased capacity now, before we had 4x150MVA, which translates to 600MVA and we now have additional 150MVA. So we have 750MVA here. With this, we will have increased power supply, which we are already experiencing in Lagos. If you live around Lagos, you could have noticed that.

    “In terms of maintenance, just like in the older transformers, we have maintenance programme for all of them. For us in Transmission we have always had equipment maintenance programme and that is why we have been able to keep the older transformers for over 40 years. We are having another intervention of 150MVA at Akangba.”

    Olotu also added that by next month, the NDPHC will commission more projects like this in Ibadan and Benin and will continue to commission new projects till end of the year. Every month, we will commission a new project in one part of the country to improve power supply that is our promise to Nigerians. However, he noted that the issue of gas supply has become a problematic one but is being addressed at the highest level.

    “The President, the Vice President, Ministers of Petroleum Resources and Power and all stakeholders sit on daily basis over this issue. All efforts are being put in place through this integrated mechanism to ensure that some emergency gas is delivered between now and December.

    “The Nigerian Gas Company has said that between 300 million standard cubic feet (mscf) and 500 mscf would be made available under this emergency period and would be dedicated to NIPP power plants. If we get that, we will get more power into the grid. This intervention is aimed at enhancing the efficiency of power delivery,” he added.

    He said that Alaoji is a 1074mw plant when completed and two units out of the six are ready now and will and be wheeled into the grid subject to availability of gas. He added that actions are being taken by the government to rehabilitate dysfunctional power stations to make them effective. “We have had shortage of capacity at the generation, transmission and distribution ends and the population of Nigeria is increasing, which calls for more supply,” he said.

  • PHCN to retrieve £2.24m  from Barclays Bank

    Nigeria may approach the United Kingdom government to retrieve about £2.24 miliion (N593.25million) belonging to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria  (PHCN).
    The money is said to be with the Barclays Bank of London.Chairman of the Panel on the Status of PHCN  Pension, Joseph Ajiboye, made this disclosure in Abuja, while presenting his report to the Minister of State for Power, Darius Ishaku, yesterday.
    He said the status of the fund is not in dispute, explaining that it is what the expatriates of the Electricity Company of Nigeria and the Niger Dam Authority were supposed to pay to the workers over the years.
    He said: “We picked this information from the Superannuation audit we have. The fund is not in dispute. There were bottlenecks . The Nigeria High Commission in London can be of assistance to retrieve that money from Barclays Bank.”
    The panel also recommended that the PHCN refund the money it collected from market operators to the Electricity Generation companies s (GENCOs), as well as the  Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs). Besides, it also called for the audit of all the money paid to the DISCOs.
    He said : “Money from DISCOs and GENCOs be refunded to the market operators. We call for the full audit of all the money paid to the DISCOs.”
    On PHCN pension, he stated that pensions and gratuities from 1990 to 1999 in the NEPA Superannuation fund was N 1.788billion .
    The report added that the pensions and gratuities paid under the fund between 2000 to 2010 was N51.279billion, stating that for 21 years, the total pensions and gratuities paid to the workers was N53. 067billion.
    Ajiboye, said there is N107.2billion actuarial valuation for the workers that none of them has been paid. He explained that it is fund meant for contingency in case the workers decide to sign off.
    He said: “ For 21 years running, the total gratuity and pension paid under the Supernnuation fund to all pensioners was N53.067billion. These accounts have been audited from 2000 to 2006, so the figure we have are  the figures that were  being paid.
    “If all the workers signed off from work and they were to be paid, the acturial valuation was N107.2billion. But that is contingent and nobody has been paid that money .
    “We had an issue of N107.2billion  which was an actuarial valuation. That is for contingency, it is not as if anybody has been paid.”
    He explained that the difference between the PHCN and other ministries pension systems is that the PHCN is not funded from the budget.
    Ajiboye said since PHCN made losses in most of the years, not much was set aside.
    His words: “It is not from appropriation.  It is not budgetary allocation, it is from whatever the PHCN can make  that was used to pay the workers. It was found out that PHCN made some loses for a number of years. So since they were unable to make profit,  they didn’t have much as pension contribution to the Superannuation Fund.”
    The panel chairman added that from meetings held with the workers and pensioners, right from the Niger Dam Authority to Electricity Company of Nigeria, there was no pension deducted from any worker’s salary till April this year, stressing that the 25per cent deduction was not done by PHCN.
    The Ajiboye led panel revealed that there was also a
    But PHCN, according to the report, had set aside a housing estate in Kado, which remain uncompleted, abandoned till date.
    Besides, he note that the second building that was to raise fund for PHCN in Lagos was confiscated by the Federal Inland Revenue Service because of the debt it was owing.