Chris OCHAYI

Federal Government has tasked the in-coming government to adequate attention to the development of renewable egivenergy sources, which it identified as very critical to the nationABUJA:’s survival, as there are no threats of vandalism as currently being experienced with the gas pipelines. Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, gave the advice while speaking during the signing of Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, between NOVARTUS Gas Limited and the Government, for the generation of power through renewable energy sources across Nigeria.

He added that renewable sources could give the required leap to the electricity supply chain. Nebo also urged the new administration to give priorities to other sources of energy such as Coal-to-Power, Solar Powered Plants, Waste – Power and a host of others, as a way of ensuring that the aim of increasing power supply is substantially realised.

He argued that this renewables are quick wins that could stop the abysmal sabotage that was crippling government’s efforts at improving the epileptic power supply faced in Nigeria.

Nebo expressed concern over the constant bursting of pipelines by miscreants everywhere in the creeks, saying that the scourge had forced power supply to hover around 3,600MW despite efforts being made by government to improve generation capacity. He said, “Our vulnerability to sabotage with regards to pipeline vandalism is so high.”

He disclosed that the Federal Executive Council, FEC, will soon approve a policy on, Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency. The document he said will provide the structure and framework as well as the incentives to be enjoyed by prospective investors desirous of producing power using renewable energy sources.

He further stated that the proposed document will give needed impetus to all stakeholders who are interested in solving the energy gap puzzle in Nigeria. He assured that when it is operational, more opportunities would open-up in small and medium sized hydros, biomass, wind, and solar power, and in no distant future, there would be an end to the country’s epileptic power problem.

He called on the consortium to visit Vietnam with a view to understudying its small hydro technology, which he said was recently discovered, and described it as the most potent method of energy sourcing in the world. He said, “using small hydros, Vietnam provides energy in her remote areas for small clusters of industries and farming communities,” even as such technology, if employed, will contribute immensely in the quest for greater access to power for all Nigerians in the urban and rural areas.