*Says improved power not caused by rainfall
Oscarline Onwuemenyi
04 September 2015, Sweetcrude, Abuja – The Federal Government yesterday signed multiple pacts with private investors who are to build about 850mw of renewable energy projects across Kaduna, Nasarawa, Cross River and Rivers states.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Power, Dr. Godknows Igali, who signed the pacts on behalf of the Federal Government, said President Muhammadu Buhari has charged power sector actors to redouble their efforts in ensuring uninterrupted power supply to Nigerians during his tenure.
Igali noted that the recent increase in power supply is not as a result of rain, as speculated in some quarters, as marginal improvement from our hydro cannot be responsible for this fact, but it is as a result of increase in gas supply to the thermal plants, adding that our Anti-Vandalism Campaign is also yielding positive results.
To sustain this trend, the Permanent Secretary said the present administration is determined to look in the direction of renewables, hence more emphasis will be placed on solar energy source.
Managing Director of Quaint Global Energy Solutions, Seun Solesi said his company is to enjoy a grant of $1.3 million from the Power Africa Initiative of the United States Trade Development Agency to do feasibility studies for its 50mw solar plant in Manchok, Kaduna state where they have gotten 150 hectares of land.
The representative of New Horizons said it will build a 100mw Solar plant in Nasarawa state, about 400mw biomass plant in Cross River and 300mw thermal plant in Rivers state.