Adedapo Adesanya
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) has signed a power purchase agreement with the Kano Government to boost water supply in the state.
Signing the agreement in Kano, the Executive Director Generation, NDPHC, Mr Kassim Abdullahi, said that the company has a total installed capacity of about 4,000 Mega Watts(MW).
“‘As I speak, NDPHC has about 700 megawatts on the national grid running. NDPHC has 10 generation companies and Alaoji generation company which will supply power to Kano State is one of them,” he said.
Mr Abudullahi further stated that NDPHC decided to pick Alaoji because of the reliability and availability of power to be delivered under the agreement with Kano State.
He said that Alaoji Generation Company has a capacity of 500 megawatts, adding that the agreement with Kano State was less than 20 megawatts.
“So, we have a lot of power available and I believe this agreement will give comfort to the state that we have more than enough supply to give out.
“We have done so much to ensure that the tariff we gave to Kano is highly competitive.
“We have also done a lot to ensure that the state benefit from the intervention as NDPHC has gone ahead to put in infrastructure and investment prior to the signing of the agreement.
“We have spent so much money and we are about to finalise the connection to ensure a constant supply of electricity to the state,” he said.
Mr Abdulahi said that NDPHC had signed a number of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) across the country, adding that the company has a bigger capacity of megawatts with some customers.
He said that the company has also invested a lot in the transmission and distribution of electricity and not just generation.
He assured the state that NDPHC would own up to its own part of the agreement and follow it through.
On his part, NDPHC General Manager Commercial, Mr Mahmoud Wali, said that the company was willing to supply power to anybody that demands it.
Mr Wali said that NDPHC has been talking with Distribution Companies (DisCos) and state governments that the company can supply power when needed.
“We have an agreement with Lagos Government, Benin Disco and some other customers on the power supply.
“Anybody that needs power above two megawatts we are ready to supply,” he said.
On his part, the Kano State Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr Sadiq Wali, said that the agreement was for the supply of about 95 per cent uninterrupted electricity to water plants in the state.
Mr Wali said that five water treatment plants were selected in the first phase of implementation.
He listed the water treatment plants to include Challawa Complex Water Treatment Plant, Wudil Regional Water Treatment Plant and Watari 75mld Water Treatment Plant.
Others, he said, were Joda Regional Water Treatment Plant and Kusalla Regional Water Treatment Plant.
The commissioner said that it was a well-known fact that part of the major problem facing the state was an inadequate supply of potable water.
He said that the inadequate supply of potable water was attributed to a lack of power supply to the water treatment plants.
“It is on this note that my office focused on identifying various solutions for the improvement of water supply services in the state by finding ways to address the acute power shortage affecting the state water treatment plants which adversely hinders their daily operations.
“This initiative is a milestone in relieving the pains and improving the economic gains of the residence of Kano and the State Government.”
On his part, Kano State Commissioner of Justice, Mr Lawal Abdulahi, said that the venture would be for a long period last to ensure an uninterrupted power supply to the state water plants.
Mr Abdulahi said that the agreement was important to the people of Kano as it would save costs and ensure a steady water supply.
