The Federal Government, under the leadership of Minister of Power, Engineer Adebayo Adelabu, is committed to enhancing the nation’s electricity supply, aiming to raise it from the 4,000 megawatts inherited by the current administration to 6,000 megawatts before the year’s end.
During a working visit to the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Power Plant in Calabar on Tuesday, Adelabu emphasized that the nation has recently seen a surge in power generation, transmission, and distribution.
The Minister highlighted notable advancements in Nigeria’s power sector, attributing these improvements to the Federal Government’s strategic investments in infrastructure, which have bolstered power generation and distribution capabilities.
He assured that the government is actively working to meet the increasing demand for electricity, which is critical to the functioning of various sectors of the economy.
“We are committed to meeting expectations because power supply is fundamental to other critical sectors of the economy. Our goal is to optimize electricity supply across the country, increasing from the 4,000 megawatts that this administration inherited to 6,000 megawatts by the end of the year,” the Minister stated.
Adelabu underscored the importance of the Calabar Power Plant, describing it as the most operational among the five power plants in the country.
He stressed that efforts are ongoing to maintain the plant’s condition to ensure consistent power supply nationwide.
“Our aim is to significantly enhance electricity supply, and to achieve this, we must improve the infrastructure, like this power plant. Without addressing the core issues, we would merely be scratching the surface. We are determined to dig deeper to make power supply meaningful and sustainable,” he added.
He also pointed out that the administration of President Bola Tinubu has introduced legislative measures, such as the Electricity Act 2023, to reinforce policies and initiatives aimed at revitalizing the power sector.
“We are implementing policies and initiatives that will stimulate power production and lead to measurable improvements. The power distribution companies (DisCos) are also stepping up their efforts to enhance power supply,” Engineer Adelabu noted.
Expressing his satisfaction with the infrastructure at the Calabar Power Plant, the Minister revealed that the plant’s five turbines collectively generate 625 megawatts, with each turbine contributing 125 megawatts.
This power is then distributed to consumers across the country.
He further mentioned that the federal government has imported ten transformers and mobile substations, marking progress beyond the initial phase of development and entering the second phase.
“The Tinubu administration is making substantial investments to invigorate the power sector. All stakeholders, including transmission companies and distribution companies, are effectively playing their roles,” he concluded.
The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, Engineer Chiedu Ugbo, provided additional insights into the plant’s operations.
He explained that the Calabar Power Plant utilizes two evacuation corridors—one directed towards Calabar and its environs, and another extending to Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State, then through Ugwuanyi in Enugu, and onward to other parts of the country.
Ugbo also disclosed that the plant has increased its power generation capacity within Calabar and has plans underway to extend electricity supply to the central and northern regions of Cross River State through transmission lines connected to Abakaliki in Ebonyi State.
