The Federal Government of Nigeria has issued a stern warning to power distribution companies (Discos) rejecting electricity allocated to them by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). Chief Adebayo Adelabu, the Minister of Power, emphasized that such actions would be dealt with severely, indicating a shift in approach to addressing the ongoing challenges in the power sector.
During a meeting with heads of agencies under the Ministry of Power in Abuja, Minister Adelabu outlined plans to escalate power generation and supply to between 6,000 and 6,500 megawatts in the next three to six months. He also revealed that the government was subsidizing electricity bills for consumers across the nation by approximately 65 percent.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the current state of power supply in Nigeria, Minister Adelabu stressed that the non-performance of Discos, particularly in terms of erratic power supply, could lead to the revocation of their licenses. He emphasized the need for Discos to responsibly utilize the power allocated to them, indicating that failure to do so would be grounds for serious consequences.
Furthermore, Minister Adelabu discussed strategies to improve power generation and stabilize output, aiming to increase the average power generation and supply from 4,000MW to 4,500MW to a minimum of 6,000MW within the specified timeframe. He highlighted the importance of addressing outstanding debts to gas and generating companies to ensure enhanced power generation.
The minister directed the TCN to investigate a recent fire incident at the transmission substation in Kano State, underscoring the necessity of preventive measures to avoid such occurrences in the future. Additionally, plans are underway to push for capital punishment for individuals involved in meter bypassing and electricity theft, as well as vandalism of power assets.
Meanwhile, power outages continue to affect several communities, with technical faults cited as the cause. The Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company confirmed that 15 communities in Kaduna State were experiencing power outages due to a fault on the 33KV independent feeder. The company assured customers of efforts to restore normal supply once the fault is rectified.
Despite challenges, the Transmission Company of Nigeria has restored power supply to some affected areas following a fire incident at the Dan Agundi Substation in Kano State. Collaborative efforts involving the fire service and TCN personnel were instrumental in containing the fire, with full restoration expected to be completed promptly.