From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
Managing Director of Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), Mr Chiedu Ugbo, yesterday, lamented the over N100 billion debt owed it by the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
Ugbo said this while addressing power correspondents at a workshop organised by NDPHC, in Calabar, Cross Rivers.
He explained the company has been operating its existing plants, completing those still under construction and intervening in transmission and distribution through its internally-generated revenue.
“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 are also a socially- responsible company through our corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects” he said.
The MD listed the ten National Integrated Power Plants (NIPP) conceived to address the flaring of gas to include Ihovbor Power Station, Benin, Edo State; Calabar Power Station, Cross River State; Egbema Power Station, Imo State and Gbarain Power Station, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, among others.
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; and Geregu II Power Station, Kogi State.
In his remarks, the Executive Director of NDPHC, Professor Stephen Ogaji noted that only 9 per cent of gas produced in Nigeria is domestically used whereas 41 per cent of gas is exported to the international market and 10 per cent of gas is flared.
He also explained that the total installed capacity is more than 13 megawatts while the total requirement for existing power stations is approximately 2,734.