By: Amb. Anthony Akalugo
IMO STATE ELECTRIFICATION PROJECT – Gov. Hope on track with the right approach – #Series1
IMO State is right now grappling with the reality of disfunctional electricity infrastructure, with manifest epileptic electricity supply. Being a state known as the hospitality capital of the Eastern region and the epicentre of itinerancy, the epileptic electricity downs the thriving business ecosystem. Regrettably, most hotels and hospitality centres began to rationalise electricity supply owing to the huge cost of running generators all day and night. Imagine a situation where EEDC resolved to be supplying electricity at night so that hotel operators will be able to power airconditioners for their customers and in the day time, they will have no light and therefore resort to shading load to use smaller generators.
How can hospitality industry survive when there is rationing of power? This is the situation in Owerri and in most remote parts of the state, power supply is a folktale.
I happended to interact with a major hotel owner in Owerri recently and he informed me that they are in constant discussion with EEDC and that the electricity distribution authority allocates 15mw power to Imo State and wonders how many hotels, and according to him, medium sized hotels will only be sixty in number to consume the 15mw supply. The big hotels like Concord will each consume 1mw each.
And Owerri alone has a concentration of over 10,000 guest houses cum hotels let alone other business concerns and private homes and commercial centres. That clearly denotes the crippling extent of businesses and regrettable standpoint of our economy.
This reality is what Gov. Hope Uzodimma has thoroughly assessed in the 4th industrial policy of Imo State realising that power solution is at the centre of every discourse to return Imo State to productive path. The prime talk is no more insecurity but securing our economic life.
A two-pronged solution possibility is considered in order to provide quick intervention in this dilemma. First is the direct engagement of power vendors who provide power solutions in multiples of 2mw up to 6mw modules. This could be directed at concentration centres and pockets of layouts. But this is more of private solution to a debilitating situation instead of a statewide approach. The second approach is to engage in a big power plant construction, transmission and distribution. Considering the cost of Geometric power plant, which cost $800m, for 188mw power plant, we can estimate what it could cost a state to build a reasonably sized power plant. This is not yet taking into consideration the transmission and distribution segments and their cost.
But that itself is another capital intensive project that is complex and demanding. But Sen. Hope Uzodimma was wise enough to peruse the existing power projects and infrastructure within the Imo State jurisdiction, to evolve an ingenious solution.
Incidentally, I was the Lead Logistics officer who moved the gas turbines and alternators and accessories from Onne wharf in 2007/2008 to Egbema power station while Rockson Engineering was constructing the power project as one of the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP) in the Niger Delta. The power station has full installed plan of over 360mw electricity run on gas. Incidentally Imo State remains the headquarters of gas production in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa, 9th in the world, with 200 Trillion cubic feet gas reserve. Access to gas source is a huge enabler for gas turbines station.
Many could not have imagined that the Federal government would be able to agree to approve transfer of the power plant to the host state but Gov. Hope Uzodimma, through his collaboration with the seat of power at Aso Rock, pulled the strings and secured the transfer, approval and release to Imo State. This is one of the benefits of playing integral role in the ruling party, a benefit of being connected to the centre.
This is the first of such initiatives in the history of the country and among the NIPP power projects in Nigeria. Indeed it is amazing that we have leveraged the transfer of power from exclusive list to concurrent list and Empowerment of subnationals to delve into power solutions and grid management. The enactment of Imo State electricity law and the subsequent assent by Gov. Hope Uzodimma is to announce the readiness of the state to explore the unbundling policy of the power sector in Nigeria.
Since the Egbema power station is about 90% completed, there is hope that the investors attracted by the government of Imo State will be able to assess the state of readiness and speed up the completion. It is possible that some of the components and equipment required may have been stocked by the former contractor and therefore due diligence and audit of extent of completion be made to determine how the new investor cum contractor could continue from where they stopped.
In addition, there will be transmission and distribution plan across the 27 LGAs of Imo State. This requires HT transmission tower and booster stations or substations and necessary alternators that will effect transmission. Also the distribution segment also are another demanding infrastructure.
It is essential that the contractor works with Engineers from ministry of power to develop power infrastructure master plan that will serve as Organisational asset to the state. Without developing this important plan and getting it approved, the effort will be a sham.
Is the 8 – 12 months anticipated timeline feasible? We shall discuss that in the next series …#Series2.
The vision is loud and the effort of the governor is commendable. But a lot needs to be done and technocrats need to drive this project to achieve the vision of the shared prosperity champion.
© Amb. Anthony Akalugo
Acdore Media, 2024
