The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Ltd., Chiedu Ugbo, has reaffirmed the organisation’s dedication to collaborating with key stakeholders to address the persistent challenges related to gas supply and transmission limitations.
Ugbo disclosed this to State House correspondents after leading a delegation to a meeting with the vice president, Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa .
Highlighting the company’s primary mission, Ugbo emphasized that they were entrusted with the responsibility of efficiently managing and safeguarding the organization’s assets for the collective benefit of Nigerians.
He acknowledged the substantial investments made by the Federal, State, and Local Governments in developing these assets on behalf of the nation.
“The assets are there, so we are charged with the responsibility of ensuring they are utilized to benefit Nigerians. We are focused on maximizing the performance of our power generation assets,” stated Ugbo.
“While we do face challenges, including gas supply and transmission limitations, we are a government-backed entity and are committed to collaborating with relevant stakeholders to resolve these issues and ensure the nation benefits from these assets.”
Addressing the issue of outstanding payments, Ugbo acknowledged, “Yes, we are owed, initially being treated as government-owned, primarily to stabilize the system.
“However, the regulatory commission has recognized the need for a more comparable tariff structure. Consequently, adjustments have been made to our generation tariff. While there have been improvements, we are working towards further enhancements.”
Ugbo shed light on the complexities of the energy grid, emphasizing the interconnected nature of power generation, transmission, and distribution.
“If distribution companies cannot fully utilize what transmission can carry, it affects the entire system. We are diligently working to ensure a seamless process from generation to end-users,” he explained.
“In collaboration with distribution companies and the transmission company, we are addressing bottlenecks to ensure energy reaches end-users. We have distribution interventions nationwide to enhance the distribution capacity of these companies,” Ugbo concluded.
The Regulatory Commission, in partnership with the government, is actively engaged in resolving the identified challenges, with a focus on expeditious solutions.