By Yemie Adeoye

The Federal Government has set a new target of 5000 Megawatts, MW, for national electric power generation by December 2011, while lamenting that power plants in the country have not experienced any form of overhauling in the last 40 years.

This is coming on the heels of assurances that about N1.5 billion would be immediately released for the resuscitation of the ever ailing Unit 6 of the Egbin Power Plant, the nation’s largest thermal power station.

The hint was dropped recently by the Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, when he went on a two-day on-the-spot assessment of power plants in the Southwest region.

Nnaji noted that the completion and commissioning of other plants under the National Integrated Power Projects, NIPP, before year end would increase the nation’s power production capacity to about 5000 MW.

With the prompt release of the N1.5 billion to Egbin for the rehabilitation of its Unit 6, the nation is expected to get an additional 220MW.

The Chief Executive Officer of the plant, Mr. Mike Uzoigwe, told the minister, “We are passionate about completing the repairs of Unit ST-06, we no more wish to cannibalize it in order to repair other units.

Please provide us with about N1.4 to N1.5 billion to complete the project sir, and in return, please tell Mr President that we will bring back extra 220 MW with the repairs of ST-06 and he will be here to commission it by the special grace of God.”

The minister gave the assurance that he will immediately ensure the prompt release of the needed funds for unit 6, as Egbin is very strategic to the country being the supplier of about 25 percent of total national power supply and consumption.

Reacting to the proposed hand-over of the company, the minister encouraged aggrieved workers and their unions not to be afraid of privatization, as the programme is not directed at staff reduction.

Besides, he noted, the terms of the handover would have to be renegotiated as there have been more investments made in the power plant since the last negotiation with the core investors.

He said the new investments have significantly changed the status of the plant, adding that government would need to recoup its investment. As such, the proposed handover of Egbin to the core investors by December, is no longer realistic, and they should go about their respective duties with appreciable dedication.

The minister who was accompanied by the Minster of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, however, lamented that all power plants in the country have not been over-hauled in the last 40 years, even as 40 percent of power generated cannot be accounted for in fiscal terms, as the distribution companies are currently not meeting up with their target in order to pay for power generated and transmitted to them.

He assured workers that their expertise would be required even by the incoming investors, as no one can better manage a plant which has core engineers with decades of experience working on it.

“President Jonathan’s Power Sector Roadmap is expected to expand the sector, hence investors would need to cash in on greater opportunities and more hands would be required, especially those who are technically sound.”

Noting that there has been a little progress with generation with Egbin generating 1,080 MW, and Olorunsogo 200 MW, Nnaji stressed the need to meet with his counterpart in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, to work out modalities of sustainable gas supply to power plants.

Meanwhile he disclosed that aside from the temporary gas line being used by the Olorunsogo plant in Ogun state, a permanent line is currently under construction to ensure that the power plant performed at optimal level and supplied the needed 335MW.