FG: We’ll boost power supply to 6,500MW in 6 months

The Federal Government (FG) has reiterated its plan to increase electricity generation from 3,500 Megawatts to 6,500MW within three to six months.

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, made this known in Lagos on Friday, March 22, 2024.

Adelabu, who was on a working visit to various power projects in Lagos on Friday, said the aim was to enhance power supply across the country to meet the growing energy demands.

His visit included an inspection of the headquarters of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) and two 20 MVA injection substations at Randle, Surulere, along with Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) monitoring rooms in Lagos.

The minister emphasised the urgency of boosting electricity generation capacity, saying: “3,500 megawatts is not acceptable, and we have plans to increase the capacity to a minimum of 6,000 to 6,500 within the next three to six months.”

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He commended EKEDC for its achievements over the past decade and stressed the need for continuous improvement in the power sector to drive economic growth and development effectively.

Highlighting the critical role of the power sector in industrial and economic development, Adelabu compared Nigeria’s power generation capacity unfavourably to that of countries like Korea and China, underscoring the need for substantial improvement.

Addressing challenges in the power sector, Adelabu emphasised the importance of prioritising baseload power generation and gradually transitioning to cleaner energy sources to meet the nation’s energy needs effectively.

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He acknowledged the persisting complaints about power outages and urged stakeholders to work collaboratively to address these challenges and improve service delivery.

On his part, the Chairman of EKEDC, Oritsedere Otubu, commended the government’s efforts to improve power supply and expressed the company’s commitment to supporting the initiative.

Also speaking, the CEO of EKEDC, Dr Tinuade Sanda, said the company would continue to collaborate with government agencies and consumers to protect power assets and curb vandalism within its operations.

The Star