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Power supply: FG to utilise renewable energy resources

By BusinessNews Staff on August 8, 2014

Vice President Namadi Sambo on Thursday said the Federal Government would utilise the country’s abundant renewable energy resources to enhance electricity supply across the country.

A statement by his spokesman, Umar Sani, quoted the Vice President as speaking while receiving a delegation from Total Nigeria Limited at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Sambo reportedly told the delegation that since power supply was one of the cardinal points of the present administration, the government would do everything to ensure stable power supply.

“The issue of power is one of the cardinal points of this administration and anything that will increase the supply of power in Nigeria will be deeply welcomed and the administration will do everything to ensure that it succeeds,” the statement quoted the Vice President as saying.

Sambo noted that the global trend in power generation was efficient utilisation of renewable energy, particularly solar energy which Nigeria has in abundance.

He said the present administration was doing everything possible to ensure it meets Nigeria’s electricity demand.

He commended the firm for its determination to ensure utilisation of Nigeria’s solar energy as a source of electricity generation.

Earlier, Total’s Executive Director and the leader of the delegation, Mr. Olubunmi Obembe, said the company in its bid to become a major global player in the solar energy market, acquired US based SunPower, a world leader in solar power operation.

He disclosed that the company was collaborating with various Federal Government institutions and international partners to fast-track the construction of solar power plants in Nigeria, which would be through Public Private Partnership.

He said the firm was currently collaborating with three states of Nassarawa, Ekiti and Katsina for the development of 150MW in Nassarawa State; 80MW in Ekiti State and 30MW/100MW in Katsina State.

He further said that the organisation was at various levels of discussion with other States.

According to him, the project is expected to deliver in the next five to eight years, 1700MW of solar Independent Power Projects, distributed across the country with a minimal size of 30MW.