*As govt vows to prosecute substandard energy equipment contractors
Oscarline Onwuemenyi
27 July 2016, Sweetcrude, Abuja – Power supply across the country dipped over the weekend by 4,446Megawatts (Mw), following attacks on gas pipelines by various militant groups in the Niger Delta region.
The System Operator (SO) of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, noted that were there no constraints, the electricity market would have supplied 7,562Mw to distribution companies (Discos) but the gas and line challenges keep holding down the power sector.
As a result, the Nigeria System Operator could only send out 2,902Mw to the 11 electricity distribution companies.
The Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) on its website yesterday, said there was no water constraint on the day in review. However, NESI noted that the electricity sector which recorded 214Mw line constraint lost an equivalent of N2,237,000,000.
“On July 24, 2016, average power sent out was 2902Mwh/hour (up by 43 MWh/h). The reported gas constraint was 4446Mw. The reported line constraint was 214MwW. The water management constraint was 0Mw. The power sector lost the estimated equivalent of N2,237,000,000 on July 24, 2016, due to constraints,” it said.
The NESI had said on July 17, 2016, average power sent out was 2670Mwh/hour (down by 100 MWh/h). The reported gas constraint was 4200Mw. The reported line constraint was 438Mw. The water management constraint was 0Mw. The power sector lost the estimated equivalent of N2,226,000,000 on July 17, 2016, due to constraints.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Government on Tuesday declared that it would no longer condone substandard electrical installations and the use of poor materials on the power network.
It also warned that it would prosecute power equipment contractors who use substandard materials, stressing that no life must be lost due to someone’s negligence or poor judgement.
The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, made this known during the revalidation/certification programme for electrical installation contractors organised by the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency, NEMSA, in Abuja.
He said, “The era of substandard products and the period of ‘managing’ electrical installations are gone for good. With today’s programme of revalidation/certification of electrical installation contractors, Nigerians will no longer accept bad poles. Our people will not accept poor materials and poor workmanship. Nigerians must get value for their hard-earned money.
“I, therefore, wish to state in unequivocal terms that the government will no longer condone substandard electrical installations and use of substandard electrical materials and equipment within our networks. The life of every single Nigerian is important to us.
“It is our responsibility to ensure that our people do not lose their lives and properties due to someone’s negligence and poor judgment. By institutionalising certification as a core component of our power industry, the government is making a definitive statement of its readiness to apply and implement all relevant legal instruments in this regard.”
Fashola, who was represented by the Minister of State, Mustapha Baba-Shehuri, told the contractors that their certification was not a right, but a privilege that was subject to professionalism, competence and good standing.
He said, “It follows, therefore, that the certificate can be withdrawn where the holder is adjudged to be incompetent or negligent. In addition to having their certificates withdrawn, such professionals will also be reported to their professional institutes for necessary sanctions to be applied.