By Ajibola Olaide, JKNewsMedia Reporter
EFFORTS TO restore electricity supply to parts of Nigeria affected by prolonged outages are gathering pace, with the Federal Government announcing plans to return affected generating units to service within 48 to 72 hours while recovering critical transmission equipment that has remained stranded at the nation’s ports for years.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the Federal Ministry of Power has said the two interventions form part of its response to recent electricity supply disruptions affecting Lagos, Abuja, Ogun, Kwara and Oyo States, as well as its wider efforts to strengthen the national transmission network and improve electricity delivery.
Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, disclosed the restoration plans in a November 6 statement, acknowledging the difficulties households, businesses and public institutions have faced following the decline in electricity supply.
Causes Of Recent Electricity Supply Disruptions
The Minister attributed the disruptions to several operational challenges across the power sector, including planned maintenance at Egbin Power Station, gas supply constraints affecting some thermal generating plants and sabotage of critical electricity transmission infrastructure.
He also identified reduced output from hydroelectric power stations, resulting from lower water inflows into reservoirs, as another factor contributing to the decline in available generation.
Tegbe explained that preliminary assessments did not indicate any major or systemic failure of the national grid.
Rather, maintenance and operational issues affecting different components of the electricity value chain had combined to reduce the volume of electricity available for distribution, forcing grid operators to introduce load shedding in some locations.
He particularly identified damage to critical transmission lines as an additional complication, explaining that the affected infrastructure had restricted alternative routes for delivering electricity to communities experiencing outages, especially in Lagos.
Acknowledging the impact on consumers, the Minister said the prolonged interruptions had placed considerable pressure on households, commercial operations and businesses.
“I am aware of the strain that the current outages have placed on households and businesses,” he stated.
FG Targets Power Restoration Within 72 Hours
Tegbe said the Ministry was working with relevant operators across the electricity sector to address the immediate problems and progressively restore supply.
“My team and I are working to return the affected generating units to service in phases, with the first units coming back online within the next 48 to 72 hours,” he assured.
Beyond restoring generating capacity, the Minister said the Federal Government was intensifying efforts to improve gas availability to thermal power stations and accelerate repairs to damaged transmission infrastructure.
He stressed that restoring electricity generation alone would not resolve the problem unless transmission and gas supply challenges were addressed simultaneously.
Tegbe said he was working closely with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) and Distribution Companies (DisCos) to resolve the operational constraints responsible for the decline in supply.
The collaboration is expected to facilitate ongoing maintenance, address technical difficulties and support the gradual stabilisation of electricity delivery to affected locations.
The Ministry also acknowledged public frustration, particularly in areas that had recently experienced noticeable improvements in electricity supply before the latest disruptions.
Tegbe appealed for patience while technical teams and relevant operators continued restoration work, promising further updates as electricity supply improves.
“I thank everyone affected for their patience and will provide further updates as supply is gradually restored,” he said.
FG Recovers 98 Containers Of Stranded Power Equipment
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has secured the release of 98 containers of electricity transmission equipment previously held at Nigerian ports, marking progress in efforts to recover infrastructure assets intended to strengthen the country’s power network.
Announcing the development during a media address in Lagos, Tegbe disclosed that 44 containers had been released from the ENL Terminal, while another 54 were recovered from the APMT and Sun & Moon Terminals.
The recovered containers represent part of more than 300 containers of electrical equipment that have remained stranded at the nation’s ports, with some reportedly held for up to 20 years.
An earlier account of the recovery exercise, which the Minister disclosed following a Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, had identified the first batch as 44 containers released from Apapa Port.
The recovered cargoes contain essential transmission equipment, including high-capacity transformers, cables and switchgear, originally procured to expand the electricity transmission network and ease pressure on overloaded substations.
Tegbe explained that their prolonged detention had prevented the completion of projects for which they were acquired, leaving existing substations under considerable strain and exposing valuable equipment to possible deterioration.
The delays also resulted in accumulated charges on the cargoes, adding to the financial burden associated with recovering the equipment.
He noted that the consequences extended beyond the ports, affecting businesses spending more on alternative electricity sources, households experiencing supply interruptions and public institutions struggling to maintain essential services.
Tinubu Directs Immediate Clearance Of Stranded Containers
The recovery exercise followed a directive by President Bola Tinubu for the immediate clearance of the stranded equipment.
Tegbe said the President instructed the Ministry of Power to work with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to resolve the administrative and financial obstacles preventing the containers’ release, including outstanding port charges and other unresolved clearance issues.
The Minister also credited the President’s intervention for the breakthrough and acknowledged the contributions of the Ministers of Finance and Marine and Blue Economy, the Comptroller-General of Customs, and officials of the Ministry of Power and its agencies.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, said the service had commenced clearance procedures in collaboration with the Ministry of Power, the Nigerian Ports Authority and terminal operators.
He explained that the President’s directive required relevant agencies to resolve outstanding charges and administrative challenges without further delay.
Adeniyi pledged the Customs Service’s continued cooperation with the Ministry until all the containers were released, while appealing to terminal operators to support the national effort to recover the stranded equipment.
Recovered Equipment To Undergo Technical Assessment
Following an inspection, officials found that most of the recovered equipment remained useful and viable.
The Power Minister added that the containers would be evacuated for technical experts to verify and test the equipment, with refurbishment undertaken where necessary before deployment to designated project sites.
He also said that serviceable equipment would be integrated into ongoing electricity infrastructure projects, particularly installations that had stalled because the required materials were unavailable, adding that items found unsuitable for use would be appropriately disposed of following technical assessments.
The recovered transformers, cables and switchgear are expected to help complete outstanding installations, reduce pressure on overloaded substations and strengthen transmission corridors experiencing operational constraints, he declared.
He said the completed projects could improve the network’s ability to carry electricity to consumers, reduce interruptions associated with overloading and deliver better voltage performance.
Tegbe assured Nigerians that the Ministry would monitor the recovery process through to installation and commissioning, rather than treating the release of the equipment from the ports as the end of the exercise.
He also expressed confidence that the remaining containers would be released without further delays and promised updates on the clearance operation.
NDPHC Earlier Recovered 110 Containers And 216 Packages
Minister Tegbe said the recovery initiative follows earlier efforts by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), under the leadership of Engr. Jennifer Adighije, which reportedly recovered 110 abandoned containers and 216 packages.
He added that intervention was said to have saved more than N30 billion and facilitated the recovery of turbines associated with approximately 470 megawatts of generation capacity.
According to him, the latest exercise adds to government efforts to unlock public investments that have remained idle and redirect them towards productive electricity infrastructure projects.
The FG further said sustained collaboration among relevant agencies would help convert the recovered equipment into operational assets capable of supporting improved electricity supply to Nigerian homes, businesses and public institutions.
He then reaffirmed the FG’s commitment to improving the reliability and quality of electricity delivery nationwide, maintaining that the restoration efforts and recovery of stranded equipment formed part of the administration’s broader commitment to strengthening the power sector.
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