Another 600MW for the Nigerian national grid

Abuja, Nigeria — ESI-AFRICA.COM — 01 December 2011 – An additional 600 megawatts (MW) of electricity is scheduled to be added to the Nigerian national grid this month from the Shiroro hydroelectric power station, according to the Ministry of Power.

A statement issued by the ministry said the expected addition would add to the existing 4,300MW bringing it very close to the 5,000MW target promised by the Federal Government before year end.

The 600MW will be coming from an abandoned unit at Shiroro Hydro power station which is being overhauled and would be ready for operation before month-end.

Shiroro Hydro power station CEO Daudu Abdulaziz made the disclosure at Shiroro when the minister of state for power Darius Ishaku was on routine tour of the station, the statement added.

Meanwhile the Federal Government said nothing could stop it from selling off the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) as a means of giving life to the 2005 Electric Power Sector Reform Act.

Speaking at the Electric Power Transaction & Industry Review conference, power minister, Bartholomew Nnaji said the process of transferring the government equity in 17 out of the 18 PHCN successor companies to core investors, PHCN workers and relevant state governments would be completed early next year.

He added that the ongoing power sector reform would create greater employment and business opportunities for the people. It would enable electricity employees to earn competitive wages and enjoy generous service conditions, and it wwould make state of the art technology available in the sector. Furthermore, it would attract considerable foreign direct investment, he said.