General
Cross River Eyes 600MW Electricity by 2022
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Cross River Government has said it was targeting a combined generation capacity of about 600MW electricity by 2022.
This was made known by the Governor, Mr Ben Ayade, who promised a quick completion of the 27MW Adiabo Power Plant at the Tinapa Business Resort, as part of efforts to boost Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the state.
Mr Ayade, speaking while inspecting the level of work done at the power plant, said the idea was to ensure that MSMEs in the state have the opportunity to have electricity and grow the local economy.
He added that the cumulative effect of the power projects will make Calabar the first state capital that will run on steady 24-hour electricity.
“We have 27MW here with a potential to install another 27MW which gives us a combined cycle that can bring in a third. When we get to that capacity, we will be in a position to feed the national grid.
“We are considering bringing in a third party investor who will be the operator of this plant, having been installed by the main contractor, Skipperseil Group. And we are happy to announce to Nigerians that Cross River State is getting another power plant of 27MW, the one in Parliamentary Road is 23MW.
“The contractors are looking to complete this project by April next year. But I am backtracking it to December this year because my people have to have electricity in greater Calabar.
“But of course once the plant in Odukpani starts running, this one (Tinapa) runs and the one in Parliamentary runs, we will be having a combined capacity of almost 600MW generated within Calabar.
“It, therefore, means that we have to set up a state transmission line that will share power to the rest of the state all the way to the Northern Senatorial District, particularly the Obudu Cattle Ranch where we are currently doing a 3MW hydropower plant in combination with the wind system.
“So, I am focusing on energy as a way of liberating our people from the horrifying dependence on the very difficult national grid.
“And I am proud to say that a Cross Riverian is the Minister of State for Power and he is working aggressively, supporting us to see to the realization of all these power projects,” the Governor said.
Mr Ayade noted that the project was coming also at a time that the state was pushing for metropolitan fibre optic lines to power homes with smart wi-fi connectivity at a negligible cost.
“So, the catalytic combination of subsidized power alongside with the wifi services will give Calabar the 21st-century exposure we dream about and that’s where we are.
“We are at 80 per cent installation capacity. We just have few containers we are expecting to arrive shortly. By the close of the month, we should be done with all imports and focus on the 8inch gas pipeline.
“We already have the modular scrollbars installed, so we will just tap into the Savannah energy pipeline and circuit it into the system and properly socket just as we have socketed into the centre. We will socket into the electricity value chain and bring value to Cross Riverians,” he added.
By Dipo Olowookere
A $15 million debt facility has been obtained by Watt Renewable Corporation from the AfriGreen Debt Impact Fund to finance hybrid solar power plants to be built and operated by the former, especially in Nigeria.
WATT intends to use the projects to serve commercial and industrial clients in Nigeria, particularly in the telecommunication and financial services sectors.
By integrating solar hybrid solutions, the firm aims to significantly reduce diesel consumption and CO2 emissions, enabling its clients to achieve substantial energy cost savings while promoting environmental sustainability.
As a pioneer in renewable energy solutions, WATT continues to drive innovation in Nigeria’s energy sector.
The company’s robust roll-out plan includes deploying hundreds of hybrid solar power sites nationwide to meet the growing energy demands of commercial & industrial clients.
This strategic expansion aligns with WATT’s vision to revolutionize energy access across Africa, enabling sustainable development and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The funds from AfriGreen provide the critical capital needed to accelerate WATT’s ambitious projects, strengthening its market position and empowering businesses with reliable and affordable energy solutions.
Business Post gathered that to mitigate the currency risk for WATT in the event of devaluation of the Nigerian Naira, AfriGreen is offering a local currency facility that matches the payment structure of the power purchase agreements.
“We are thrilled to partner with AFRIGREEN on this transformative journey to expand reliable and sustainable energy solutions across Africa.
“With this support, it enables us to accelerate our shared mission of providing hybrid solar power to businesses, reducing carbon emissions, and supporting economic growth while enhancing energy security for our clients,” the Managing Director of WATT, Mr Oluwole Eweje, said.
“We are delighted to support WATT in rolling out hundreds of hybrid sites across the country.
“This represents another key transaction for AFRIGREEN in Nigeria. The combination of high energy prices, good solar irradiation, and strong demand from industrial and commercial energy users makes this market particularly attractive for companies like WATT.
“By leveraging these favourable market conditions alongside WATT’s exceptional operational performance and a well-structured financing solution, we are setting the stage for a strong and lasting business partnership,” the Managing Director of AfriGreen, Mr Alexandre Gilles, stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has denied issuing a directive that gas supply to power generating companies (GenCos) be halted.
In a statement on Wednesday, the authority also denied instructing wholesale gas suppliers to stop further supply of gas to companies due to failure in payment obligations.
The NMDPRA described reports stating that it has directed the stoppage of gas supply to GenCos over N2 trillion debt as “false and completely unfounded”.
“It has absolutely no bearing on the information shared at a recent stakeholders’ engagement held in Lagos between the Authority, the OPTS, IPPG and other stakeholders in the oil and gas industry,” the NMDPRA said.
“The purpose of the engagement was to sensitise stakeholders on the requirements, opportunities and benefits associated with the implementation of the wholesale supply license as provided by sections 142 and 197 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
“It was a follow-up to an earlier stakeholder engagement held at the NMDPRA corporate headquarters in Abuja on November 27, 2024.
“The Authority wishes to reassure all our stakeholders and indeed the general public that at no time was the false statement made at that event and anywhere else, and are advised to completely disregard the publication as every effort is being made to ensure that the supply and distribution of natural gas and petroleum products to end users is seamless and unabated as we head into the festive season and indeed all through the coming year 2025.”
Recall that Nigeria’s national grid experienced another collapse on Wednesday, the 11th time in 2024 as Gencos couldn’t generate enough power, compounding issues facing the Nigerian power sector.
This was the first time in over a month as the last time the nation witnessed a nationwide shutdown in electricity supply was on November 7, 2024.
Before then, the country was experiencing an incessant collapse of the grid, which prompted the federal government to set up a team to address the issue.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Nigeria is currently experience a cut in power supply after the national grid collapsed for the 11th time in 2024.
This is the first time in over a month as the last time the nation witnessed a nationwide shut down in electricity supply was on November 7, 2024.
Before then, the country was experiencing an incessant collapse of the grid, which prompted the federal government to set up a team to address the issue.
However, just when Nigerians were thinking they will not witnessed another national grid collapse in the year, it issue reared its ugly head again.
On Wednesday afternoon, most of the energy distribution companies suffered power outage, prompting them to inform their customers of the situation.
One of the DisCos, Ikeja Electric Plc, in a message to electricity consumers under its franchise area, said, “Please be informed that we experienced a system outage today, December 11, 2024, at about 13:32 hours affecting supply within our network.
“Restoration of supply is ongoing in collaboration with our critical stakeholders. Kindly bear with us.”
Recall that on Tuesday, in a report, Google listed national grid as one of the top trending searches by Nigerians this year.
-
Feature/OPED5 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism8 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz2 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking6 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy2 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking2 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports2 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn
-
Technology4 years agoHow To Link Your MTN, Airtel, Glo, 9mobile Lines to NIN