26 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2014
Egbin to increase generation capacity by 1,350MW By SEBASTINE OBASI
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HE new management of the Egbin Power Station, in conjunction with its technical partner, Korea Electric Corporation, KEPCO, said it will provide additional capacity of 1,350 megawatts, MW, over the next three years. The Managing Director, KEPCO, Mr Gyoo Chull Yeom, who gave the assurance last weekend, said that the station had introduced new technology, aimed at overhauling the infrastructure so as to meet the challenges ahead. Yeom also assured that the group was working towards restoring Egbin to its installed capacity of 1,320MW within the year. With the completion of the additional capacity, the station is expected to have 2,670MW. According to him, “our relationship with Nigeria over the year has shown that the nation is filled with resilient and resourceful people who are driven by a spirit of entrepreneurship that ranks among the best in the world. “Yes, there are challenges bordering on infrastructure and human capital that will require time to overcome. We will need the patience and support of all Nigerians as we work towards overcoming these challenges with innovation, commitment and determination. “ We see a future where Nigeria will become an exporter of power. This is possible with our collective resolve,” he said. Yeom also said that as the world continues to witness new trends in the power sector, KEPCO would be ready to deploy the most recent and effective technologies to ensure sustainable, efficient and safe generation and delivery of power. The company boss said that KEPCO is amongst the largest nuclear power exporting companies and is also involved in every form of generation from wind, thermal, coal, solar, mass, hydro and renewable energy. “It is our desire to work with our counterparts here using technology that is best suited to Nigeria to deliver world class services in power generation and supply in Nigeria, and ultimately, other parts of Africa. “Having recorded remarkable successes in the sector globally, we are delighted to work with you all C M Y K
to ensure we replicate similar and even better achievements in Nigeria with the help of all Nigerians and our staff in particular. “With our discipline and technology, we are confident that our partnership here in Nigeria will produce records that will be notable globally. Already, we have begun a review of the infrastructure and processes at the Egbin power plant and Ikeja Distribution Company. “This is an ongoing process aimed at setting the foundations for world-class services to our customers, Yeom added. The Kepco boss assured that the management will have
knowledge sharing sessions and exchange programmes that will help us perfect our partnership. He assured the workers that the management is working with the consortium to establish a framework for robust learning and development programmes for staff. According to him, the training activities will facilitate the adoption of new technologies and empower staff with up-to-date knowledge of global trends in the power sector. “Together, we can redefine the power sector in Nigeria and thereafter drive socioeconomic growth with a
renewed passion for excellence. “We are here as partners to work with you to build a future where uninterrupted power supply is obtainable in Nigeria and our great companies play leading roles in the sector across the globe. We believe in this project and we believe in you. So, let there be sustainable light; let there be collective progress,” he said. The new management of Egbin emerged after the recent handover of power assets to new investors. KEPCO’s involvement in the unfolding power reforms is through a Joint Venture between KEPCO and New Electricity Distribution Company, NEDC - managers of the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, IKEDC, both members of the Sahara Group.
French agency partners NERC on capacity development By CHRIS OCHAYI
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GENCE Francaise Development, AFD, has promised to provide financial support to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, for human capital development for the power sector. Chief of Projects, Division of Education, AFD, Mr. Betrand Facini, and the Senior Programme Officer, Mr. Adesoji Ademola, who disclosed this at a meeting with NERC Commissioners in Abuja, expressed their readiness to support the agency. The meeting, which was prompted by the AFD, is sequel to similar discussions with the Ministry of Power. According to the AFD delegates, on November 14, 2013, about $170 million was earmarked as the loan sum for the transmission aspect of the electricity
industry. Facini revealed that the AFD was concerned about sustainability; hence, it was looking at the risk of developing the market alongside the present reforms so as to guide its intervention. He said that energy efficiency stands out as one of the key programs that has to be realised, making it imperative to engage with the Commission to work out human capacity development and vocational training which would stand the test of time. ‘’We have come to assess prospective mission in the education system because we regard skill development as a critical need,” he said. Responding on behalf of the Commission, the Vice Chairman, Alhaji Muhammed Lawal Bello, disclosed that the NERC was already working with the National Board for Technical Education as well as other vocational training institutions on capacity building for the power sector. He said that expert support by the AFD would be most appreciated and described the visit as timely.
BRIEF Nigerians bought petrol at N97 in Q4 —Poll BY KUNLE KALEJAYE
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BOUT 77 percent of Nigerians purchased petrol at the official price of N97 from filling stations owned by major oil marketers for their needs in the fourth quarter of 2013. The Fourth Quarter results for the Petrol Price Monitoring Polls conducted by Nigeria’s leading polls and survey firm, the NOI Polls Limited, released at the weekend in Abuja, showed that 46 percent of respondents used petrol for both their cars and generators. Recall that in January 2012, the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA along announced an increase in the pump price of petrol from N65 to N141 as a result of the removal of subsidy, in which because over a trillion naira was spent in 2011. The removal of subsidy resulted in days of protests by Nigerians led by the organised labour and civil society groups, who were unhappy over the perceived hardship the action would cause Nigerians, and the lack of notice by the government to carry out such plans. Government was forced to amend the decision by reduing pump price to N97/litre. Consequently, the NOI Polls initiated the Petrol Price Monitoring Poll Project in January 2013, due to the need for a dependable measure of public opinion on issues surrounding public policies. According to the Polls, this result is the fourth quarterly release in the series, and its purpose is to monitor and analyse the current price and uses of petrol in Nigeria, as well as to measure the perception of Nigerians towards the petrol price differences at various points of sale and the removal of fuel subsidy. Key findings of the poll revealed that in Q4 most Nigerians about 69 percent bought petrol from major marketers filling stations. This is followed by 24 percent who mainly purchase PMS from independent marketers’ filling stations and 7 percent who buy from petrol hawkers. The analysis of the results by geo-political zones indicated that the South-West has the highest percentage of people (78 percent) that purchased petrol from major marketers’ filling stations.