NDPHC CEO Visits 435mw Geregu Power Plant, Says Coy Working to Boost Generation

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC), Jennifer Adighije, yesterday carried out an on-the-spot assessment of the 435mw Geregu power plant in Kogi, pledging to ensure that generation is ramped up soon.
Adighije, who visited the plant along with her top management team, further noted that she was working with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to  strengthen the national grid.          
Speaking at the site of the plant, she pointed out that the new management was  actively engaging with Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) to expedite action on long standing requests for ‘no objection’ certificates.
According to her, this is so that contracts can be awarded for required works that will boost generation and transmission infrastructure nationwide.
The Geregu National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) power plant, a Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT), was completed in 2013 and is owned by the NDPHC.
It is one of the several projects under the NIPP initiative, aimed at increasing Nigeria’s power generation capacity, comprising gas turbine and steam turbine generators, 132/33kV transmission substation and a 330kV transmission line to national grid.
It has increased power supply to surrounding states of Kogi, Niger, Kwara, and Abuja, reduced power deficits in the region, created jobs and economic growth and improved reliability and efficiency.
Some of the challenges of the plant include: Gas supply constraints, transmission infrastructure limitations as well as maintenance and operational issues.
 As a young and dynamic management made up mostly of engineers, Adighije noted that the team understands the issues bedevilling the industry and is proactively busy at resolving them.
She promised to prioritise staff welfare, explaining that only that can guarantee satisfactory service and stressing that the new management would ensure constant on-the-job-training for employees.
“We are committed to delivering on our mandate. The cardinal priority is on staff welfare, which is why I insisted on coming here to meet you, familiarise with you, and to associate with you. The issues, operational issues, we can resolve from Abuja.
“We’ve already started resolving some. So that is a demonstration of our commitment to our manpower, and because we know that when our manpower are happy, our machines will be happy. So I want to let you know that we understand the issues,” she said.
She also promised to resolve the issue of staff disparity and staff dichotomy, which I do not agree with, because we are one family, explaining that the management was already working on it subject to board approval.
While appealing for patience, the affected staff must understand that the NDPHC also have financial constraints.
“I’m sure you know our operational limitations, grid limitations, and all of that, that impacts our revenue earning potential, and therefore, as such, we are duty-bound to ensure that we spend prudently and judiciously.
“So we’ll prioritise our needs, but like I said,  rest assured that you have the commitment of this leadership. We’re a responsible leadership, and you are our primary responsibility,” she added.
She acknowledged that recently, the transmission grid network has been very vulnerable to disruptions, and therefore, it was expedient for management to ensure that the power plants and equipment are working and performing optimally.
“This is to render services to the transmission grid that would ensure that there’s grid stability, and that would ensure that we’re able to sustain the performance of the power sector as a whole. So a number of challenges have been thrown up.
“For instance, there are ancillary services, spinning reserve services. We want to ensure that we’re able to offer those solutions to enhance the grid stability and to build further resilience for the grid, in line with Mr. President’s renewed hope agenda for energy security.
“So far, we are satisfied. I dare say we have the best manpower in the industry because we have the largest fleet in the industry, and so we have the capacity to offer the best services to ensure that there’s power sector stability and energy security,” she stressed.