SOLAR POWER: FASHOLA WARNS DISCOS, SAYS NIGERIANS CAN PROCURE 1 MW OF POWER WITHOUT LICENSE

UYO, Akwa Ibom, Nigeria – Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has warned owners of Discos and Gencos who are hiding their inefficiencies using the court processes that the court of public opinion will soon scrutinize them adding that the verdict may be scathing, unkind and enduring.The Minister who was speaking at the 25th Stakeholders’ meeting in Uyo said that Nigerians are increasingly taking their destiny into their hands by acquiring solar panels.

“This is the essence of privatization. If you bother to look up and around you, you will see solar panels on rooftops. The mini grid regulations allow them to procure 1MW without license. This is bigger than what many traditional generators supply. There is no law that compels them to take public power”, he warned, stressing that he is not afraid of the law courts and ready to vigorously defend the position of government.

“As for those who entered the business without understanding it, please brace up for hard work and help us rebuild this country”, he said and that government has secured the World Bank approval for$486 Million TCN transmission expansion funding, while progress is being made with the same bank for the Rural Electrification and Distribution Expansion Funding.

 
‘”CN has completed the following sub-station transmission expansion to improve their capacity to supply power to the DisCos : Uyo, Calabar, Keffi, Karu, Abeokuta, Nasarawa to mention a few. While it is no longer news that we have reached a 7,000 MW Generation Capacity and have a 5,000 MW Distribution Capacity, what is newsworthy is that in the last month, we have met with Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), DisCos, and GenCos on how to implement the Eligible Customer Policy and increase connectivity to the 2,000 MW that is available”, he said.