Regardless of the current low level of power generation caused by vandalism of the Niger-Delta Power Holding Company’s properties, the Disco would not rest on its oars until it achieves total eradication of darkness in its jurisdiction.
The distribution company, perhaps the best in the country, is facing its worrisome challenges of vandalism of power installations, which is worsening the woes of the consumers.
Within the last one year, NDPHC has 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.
The Electricity firm is having sleepless nights over the activities of vandals who destroy, and steal power accessories such as transformers, cables, and others to resell for pecuniary benefits.
However, the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) disclosed just recently its plans to install 100,000 units of renewable energy in Nigerian homes, after an initial 20,000 units.
Human activity is overloading our atmosphere with carbon dioxide and other global warming emissions. These gases act like a blanket, trapping heat. The result is a web of significant and harmful impacts, from stronger, more frequent storms, to drought, sea level rise, and extinction.
According to experts, in contrast, most renewable energy sources produce little to no global warming emissions. Even when including “life cycle” emissions of clean energy, the global warming emissions associated with renewable energy are minimal.
This means Less global warming, improved public health, inexhaustible energy, stable energy prices and reliable source of energy.
No doubt, manufacturers are facing higher energy costs in the near future, as new decarbonized industry standards and government demands are set. This intelligent industrial energy initiative gives it control over grid power use. In my opinion, it will enable them to reduce operating costs and optimize energy usage when needed the most. In the event of power outages, reliable backups prevent costly and potentially dangerous situations in industry production.
In an address delivered by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, of the organisation, Mr. Chiedu Ugbo, at the 2022 Seminar for Power Correspondents in Calabar, Cross River State, the company also decried the N100 billion owed NDPHC by the sector.
Pairing industrial energy storage solutions with renewable sources such as solar or wind allows the company to maximize sustainable production and store excess green energy when it is produced. This is a game-changer for the Disco and ultimately for the environment.
In a competitive industry, manufacturers ultimately pass through the full cost increase to suppliers and end-customers. Energy storage solutions will let the company balance the supply and demand of electricity without having to compromise on process, product or the end-customer’s price.
“NDPHC has also diversified into renewable energy. Aside from the 20,000 home units that we installed, there are plans to add another 100,000 units across the country, the MD had said.
“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,” he explained.
The MD however, stated that in spite of the company’s efforts, the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) owes NDPHC over N100 billion. “Again, our tariff is the cheapest among thermal companies even though we all buy gas at the same price in the market,” he stated.
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, Nigerians look more unto the NDPHC than its competitors. The NDPHC was striving assiduously to live up to the expectation, stressing that the organisation being primarily a generation company, also intervenes very seriously in both transmission and distribution segments of the power sector.
“In addition, we are also a sociasible company through our corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects,” he noted.
NDPHC has also appealed to every Nigerian and every community where it has installations to regard those projects as theirs and so protect them from theft and vandalism.
While highlighting the cooperation he has had from stakeholders, he noted that the organisation will work towards achieving its goal of lighting up Nigeria.
He explained that the organisation 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 10 thermal plants that were designed, he said, included: Ihovbor Power Station Benin, Edo State; Calabar Power Station, Cross River State; Egbema Power Station, Imo State and Gbarain Power Station, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
Others, he said, 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 and Geregu II Power Station, Kogi State.
Olamide Adeniyi is a member of the editorial team of TheScript Newspaper
