By CHRIS OCHAYI

ABUJA: The vandalism of pipelines that supply gas to the power thermal stations across Nigeria is the new evil denying Nigerians steady electricity supply.

A refinery

This trend is a major encumbrance for the Gas-to-Power initiatives of the Federal Government. However, some government functionaries have since attributed the scenario to the handwork of the enemies of the government trying to sabotage its reforms agenda in the power sector

Although, the tale of power supply in the country has been very pathetic and miserable, as the epileptic supply situation got worse over the years. Before thermal plants became the fad, the reason for the very low supply of electricity was hitherto attributed to the Kainji Dam and its turbines. It was either that the water level was too high or too low for the proper functioning of the turbines depending on the season of the year.

And even with the combined thermal and turbine stations, the power generation still remained in abysmal condition. The supply of electricity has dropped to an all-time low of less than 3,000 megawatts, MW serving Nigeria’s 170 million population together with their domestic and industrial requirements estimated at a minimum of 40,000MW.

The impact of the inefficiency of power ssector is overwhelming both the Federal Government and the stakeholders, especially the new investors the generation and distribution companies.

The development remains a big challenge for the management of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, which is charged with the responsibility of crude oil, gas and petroleum products pipelines administration in Nigeria.

The Corporation, in its determination to address the menace, recently deployed some mechanisms to frustrate activities of vandals, which it also blamed on saboteurs.

The Corporation adopted the use of Horizontal Directional Drilling, HDD technology, to bury crude oil and petroleum products pipelines across the country. The technology, which is the latest in the industry, would bury the pipelines very deep below the surface.

Blaming vandals for the gas shortages, which resulted in the recent drop in electricity generation, the NNPC Group Managing Director, Mr Andrew Yakubu, said over 30 per cent of the installed gas supply capacity was out, as a result of vandalism.

He noted that the lost gas was the equivalent to the gas requirement to generate about 1,600MW of electricity, while about N800 million was spent recently to repair damaged gas pipelines.

He listed the pipelines affected to include the Escravos-Warri stretch of the Escravos Lagos Pipeline System and the Trans-Forcados crude pipeline.

But Yakubu assured that the completion of the Omoku and Alaoji NIPP power plants, will further boost generation capacity, as the plants have available gas feedstockupon their completion.

Companies tasked to end scarcity

Meanwhile, the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, has charged all gas companies operating in the country to find lasting solutions to the persistent shortage of the product to energise the power plants.

Nebo,who spoke at a forum aimed at identifying and resolving the causes of the incessant interruption of gas to the electricity plants, challenged stakeholders to regardpower issues as national emergency.

He lamented that vandalism has only worsened the existing situation, wherein government has been doing its best to ensure full utilisation of the nation’s abundant gas resources.

Furthermore, he said enormous resources are involved in the deployment of heavy duty equipment, adding that difficult terrain are some of reasons for delay in effecting repairs on the damaged pipelines.

While also blaming pipeline vandalism for the existing wide gap between the installed capacity and actual power generation, the minister said; “we have the capacity to generate over 6,000MW but sadly we now produce a little over 4,000MW, this is not the case in other climes.”

Emphasizing the importance of energy in the socio economic life of the nation, Nebo said, “we want the economy to be revamped, this magic can only be made manifest if we are able to produce enough power that will drive a double digit growth.”

He therefore challenged stakeholders to brace-up to the unfortunate scenario created by the abysmal low-level of power generation when compared with countries like South Africa and Brazil.

Prosecution of vandals

The spate of vandalism, both of pipelines and electricity facilities has prompted the new power investors to advocate for an anti-theft legislation to prosecute electricity vandals and customers who attack utility personnel.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, Mr. Robert Dickerman, recently called on the Federal Government to address the problems of inadequate gas supply to the plants and pipelines vandalism currently militating against power generation in the country.