Abubakar Monguno
In reconstituting the board of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration wanted it to conform to international best practices and accomplish the task it is saddled with. Nigeria’s three tiers of government in 2005 established the NDPHC to manage the National Integrated Power Projects, to merge the blessings of Nigeria’s huge natural gas reserves with efficient power plants. NDPHC was mandated to deliver power nationwide through the NIPP massive gas-fired power plants.
In its determination to deliver adequate energy to Nigerians, successive federal administrations and, particularly, the Buhari administration have thrown their active backing behind the NDPHC to enable it deliver stable electricity to Nigerians.
NDPHC has been involved in spearheading projects that will guarantee stable electricity. A lot has been done of recent in the transmission network. Recently completed projects include the 330kV IkotEkpene Switching Station; 330kV DC Alaoji – IkotEkpene Transmission Line; 330kV DC Calabar – IkotEkpene Transmission Line; 2x150MVA, 330/132kV & 2x60MVA, 132/33kV Gwagwalada SS; 330kV DC Gwagwalada – East Main Transmission Line; 132kV DC East Main – Kukwaba – Apo Transmission Line; 1x60MVA, 132/33kV Lokoja SS; 330kV DC Ajaokuta – Lokoja – GwagwaladaTransmissin Line; 1 x 300MVA, 330/132kV Alagbon SS; 1x300MVA, 330/132kV Lekki SS; 1 x 330kV DC IkotEkpene – Ugwaji Transmission Line (2)
Distribution projects totalling 296 have been completed, plus 33/11kV distribution injection substations; 1,712 Km of 33kV Lines ; 4,540 Km of 11kV Lines; 24,996 completely self-protected transformers. A total of 3,970MVA injection substation capacity was added; 1,212MVA CSP transformation capacity was also added
The need to strengthen the nation’s distribution assets saw the NDPHC under the Buhari administration intervening to deliver 78 intervention projects. There were added over 544Km of 33kV Lines; over 130Km of 11kV Lines; 199 distribution transformers (100KVA, 200KVA, 300KVA, 500 KVA); 148MVA injection substation capacity; and 108MVA distribution transformers capacity.
Other projects were completed in the distribution sector. They include the 1x15MVA, 33/11kV Inj SS, Tambuwal, Sokoto State; 1x15MVA, 33/11kV, 1X7.5MVA Inj SS, Fegge, Anambra State; 1X7.5MVA, 33/11kV Inj SS, Potiskum, Yobe State; 1X15MVA, 33/11kV Inj SS, Gagi, Sokoto State; 1×7.5MVA, 33/11kV Inj SS. Otta, Ogun State; 1X15MVA, 33/11kV Inj SS, AngwanDosa, Kaduna State; 2×7.5 MVA, 33/11kV Inj SS, Lamingo, Plateau State; 2X15MVA, 33/11KV Inj SS, Zaria Rd, Jos; Construction of 33kV line from OkeAro TS to Mowe SS; 2x15MVA, 33/11kv Injection SS, Asaba, Delta State; 1×7.5 MVA, 33/11kV Injection SS, Saminaka, Kaduna State; 1X7.5kVMVA, 33/11kV Injection SS, Iloko, Osun State; 1X15MVA, 33/11kV Injection SS, Aminkanle, Lagos State; 1x15MVA, 33/11kv Injection SS, Abule Taylor, Lagos State; 1x15MVA, 33/11kv Injection SS, Elemoro, Lagos State; 1×7.5MVA, 33/11kv Injection SS, Bauchi, Bauchi State; 1x15MVA, 33/11kv Injection SS, Farfaru, Sokoto State; 1×7.5MVA, 33/11kv Injection SS, Water Works Gusua, Zamfara; 1×7.5MVA, 33/11kv Injection SS, Otowhodo, Delta State; 1×7.5MVA, 33/11kv Injection SS, Ibusa, Delta State.
Based on its commitment to prompt action in the energy sector, the Buhari administration provided the muscle for speedy success of the following. On the shortage of gas to the NIPP power stations in the Western Delta – Ogorode, Benin (Ihovbor), Omotosho and Olorunsogo, the administration’s intervention and resolution of the Niger Delta crisis led to improvement in gas supply to the power stations in this western flank.
On the inadequate transmission capacity to evacuate power from the Eastern Delta plants, there was the quick completion of the 12 circuit 330KV Ikot-Ekpene switching station and the dual circuit 330kV transmission lines from both the Alaoji and Calabar power stations. There was also the completion of the first circuit (line 2) of the Ikot-Ekpene to Ugwuaji four circuit 330KV.
On the inadequate gas pipeline infrastructure in the Eastern Delta (Alaoji and Calabar), there was the completion of the NOPL by Total for gas supply to Alaoji Power Station and the completion of the Seven Energy dedicated pipeline from Uquo field to Calabar Power Station,
Despite the completion of critical projects in transmission and gas, new challenges still remain to be tackled. The Transmission Company of Nigeria has simulated a wheeling capacity of close to 7GW but the Load absorption capacity of the 11 Distribution Companies in Nigeria is only about 68% of the TCN wheeling capacity, representing some 4.6GW of distribution capacity. There is currently between 2.5GW to 3GW of generation capacity that is stranded. This has led to transmission grid integrity; frequency and load control. There is continual load rejection by distribution companies due to inadequate infrastructure, among other problems of inadequate capitalisation.
These issues present new challenges for this administration as well as immediate opportunities for growth. The administration recognises the strong potentials for growth with increasing need for added investments in the power sector to spurn and sustain this potential.
Government is aware of the NDPHC’s pivotal role in the current increase in installed capacity of close to 13GW and it will continue to back the NDPHC in its medium-to long-term vision, to play a role in end-to-end infrastructure development in the sector.
The next set of intervention projects by the NDPHC will further improve capacity in generation and networks (in collaboration with the state-owned Transmission Company of Nigeria) in continuation of the role of NDPHC as an infrastructure provider in the Nigerian power sector.
––– Monguno, a public affairs analyst, writes from Bauchi.
