NDPHC to electrify 100,000 households with renewable energy—Ugbo

….Puts power sector debt to Company at N100b

By News Editor

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Niger Delta Power Holding Company, NDPHC, Mr. Chiedu Ugbo, has disclosed that the company plans to electrify 100,000 homes with solar power across the country.

Mr. Ugbo made the disclosure while speaking at the workshop organized by the Company for Power Correspondents in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

Mr. Ugbo further disclosed the Electricity Supply Industry, NESI, is owing NDPHC over N100 billion.

Ugbo in his keynote address recalled that, “The NIPP was conceived in 2004 and developed to address the issues of insufficient electric power generation and excessive gas flaring from oil exploration in the Niger Delta region.

“The ten thermal plants that were designed include: Ihovbor Power Station Benin, Edo State; Calabar Power Station, Cross River State; Egbema Power Station, Imo State; Gbarain Power Station, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

*Others are Sapele Power Station, Delta State; Omoku Power Station, Rivers State; Alaoji Power Station, Abia State, combined cycle plant; Omotosho II Power Station, Ondo State; Olorunsogo II Power Station, Ogun State, combined cycle plant; Geregu II Power Station, Kogi State.

According to him, “NDPHC has also diversified into renewable energy. Aside the 20,000 home units that we installed, there are plans to add another 100,000 units across the country.

“It should be noted that the company has been operating its existing plants, completing those still under construction and intervening in transmission and distribution through its internally generated revenue. In spite of this, the Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) is owing NDPHC over ₦100 billion.

“Again, our tariff is the cheapest among thermal companies even though we all buy gas at the same price in the market.

“As you all know, the task of providing adequate electricity to Nigerians has been arduous and as a company jointly owned by every Nigerian through local, state and Federal governments, we know that Nigerians look more unto us more than our competitors.

“And without sounding immodest, we are striving assiduously to live up to that expectation. NDPHC, being primarily a generation company, also intervenes very seriously in both transmission and distribution segments of the power sector.

“In addition, we also a socially responsible company through our corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects.

“I will leave the job of giving details of our work to our excellent resource persons who will take you through the nitty gritty of our operations. I will however, implore you all to join us in appealing to every Nigerian and every community where we have installations to regard those projects as theirs and so, protect them from theft and vandalism.

“Within the last one year we have witnessed some setbacks through such actions when gas pipelines were damaged and also recently when high tension towers were pulled down and parts carted away in River State.”

He assured journalists covering the power sector under the umbrella body of Power Correspondents Association of Nigeria, PCAN, that “This seminar will not be a one-off event”, while promising that It will be held regularly.