Electricity grid to be boosted with 945MW
An increase of 945MW of electricity is expected to be added in the national grid before the end of the year, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has said.
Fashola made the comment on Thursday at the Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce breakfast business meeting in Lagos.
He spoke on the theme: “Power Sector and the Way Forward’’.
He said that additional power would be generated to the grid from 450 mw Azura Edo plant, 215 mw Kaduna power plant, 240 mw Afam V power plant and 40mw Kashimbilla hydro plant in Taraba State.
“The country power generation, which stood at 4,000 megawatts when we came on board, today, it has been increased to 7,000 megawatts.
“In 2015, energy transmission was 5,000mw while distribution was at 3,000mw but as at today, we are distributing 5,000 mw on average with 2,000 megawatts stranded.
“We are currently adding an average of 1,000 mw of energy yearly to the national grid which implies that we have added about 3,000 mw to the generation since we came on board,’’ he said.
Fashola said the statistics implied that 2,000 mw was stranded and must be evacuated for use as more power will be generated in the years to come.
He said that government had committed to invest N72 billion for the procurement and installation of equipment to help distribute unused 2,000 mw of electricity to consumers in the country.
Fashola said the narrative must change from not enough power to how unutilised power could be distributed.
(NAN)
