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FG Approves Power Contracts, Blames Epileptic Supply On Neglect Of Sector

Published

3 years ago

Dec 24, 2021.

Yinka Akanbi

He noted that the present administration has done more than its predecessors to ensure that Nigerians enjoy improved supply of electricity

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved 16 new power contracts.

Approved were 16 memos on power presented by the Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu.

The FEC meeting was presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the council chambers of the state house.

Aliyu, who disclosed this while addressing state house reporters at the end of the meeting, said the cost of the new power contracts are $65,606,420, €15,152,651 and ₦31,360,272,397.

The Minister also blamed the epileptic power supply in the country on the lack of attention paid to the development of the sector in the past.

He noted that the present administration has done more than its predecessors to ensure that Nigerians enjoy improved supply of electricity.

Aliyu said, “Today, I presented to the council 16 memos, which I seek for council’s approval and the council graciously approved all of them. At this point, let me say what these approvals will do to the nation’s electricity supply.

“As we’re all aware, the major problem we’re having in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) is to be able to evacuate sufficient electricity and distribute them. That is to say, we have a very weak transmission grid and distribution segment of the value chain.

“We may not be having much problem with generation. So, unless we’re able to strengthen the electricity grid, which is nationwide, and to expand, and to be able to evacuate, what the grid can take to consumers, we will have a lot of problems ahead of us.

“So, what we’re doing currently through various and several interventions is to be able to repair the grid by constructing new transmission lines, bringing in new equipments to replace the old ones at our substations. So, that will release more capacity to the distribution and leading to the customers.

“So, the operational capacity, as you all know now is hovering around 5,000 megawatts and the transmission and distribution. So, these projects that we brought to council today and got approvals are all geared towards strengthening the willing capacity of the transmission and towards distribution.

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