By Our Correspondent
The Ibom Utility Company’s application to operate an independent electricity distribution network license has been approved by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), allowing it to distribute electricity in a few specific locations throughout Akwa Ibom state.
This follows the approval presentation in Abuja to a delegation from Akwa Ibom State led by Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, Secretary to State Government, Mr. John James, Commissioner for Power, SSA to the Governor on Power, and Engr. Mayen Etukudo, Managing Director of Ibom Power.
The application for a modification of the on-grid electricity generating license to allow Ibom Power Company Ltd. to embed into the distribution network of Ibom Utility Company Limited was also approved by the Commission.
This is a significant development for Akwa Ibom State because Governor Udom Emmanuel had previously bemoaned the lack of a reliable power supply, blaming it on poor distribution in spite of the state government’s significant investment in the sector.
Ibom Utility Company
A newly constructed 33/11KV, 2 X 15MVA injection sub-station in Uyo, the state capital, was officially opened by the Governor less than eighteen months after taking office.
In order to provide a dedicated grid power supply to the state-owned Victor Attah International Airport with a dedicated 33kv line from Ibom Tropicana, the Governor subsequently constructed a similar 33/11KV, 2 X 15MVA substation.
Additionally, when the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) powered up 132/33KV electricity transformers in Calabar and Lagos, Governor Emmanuel worked with TCN to commission a 132/33KV, 1 x 60MVA transformer at Afaha Ube in Uyo. The state now has 144 megawatts of power available for distribution, up from 96 megawatts before this 60MVA transformer was installed.
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According to Engr. Etukudo, the upgraded substation supplies consistent power to ten local government areas in the state, including Uyo, Ikot Ekpene, Essien Udim, Obot Akara, Ini, Ikono, Ibiono, Etinan, Abak, and Ukanafun.
The Governor was praised by TCN, the sole electricity carrier in Nigeria and the link between generation and distribution companies, for the partnership, which they said was in line with the Federal Government’s (FG) incremental power policy.
Unsatisfied, Udom Emmanuel once more teamed up with TCN and reached a deal to construct a 132/33KV, 2 x 60MVA transmission substation at Ekim in the Mkpat Enin Local Government Area. In the state of Akwa Ibom, a transmission substation was last built twenty years ago.
The Governor invited Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo to commission Ekim 132/33KV, 1 x 60MVA substation as part of celebrations for the state’s 32nd anniversary.
The substation, which is powered by the government-owned Ibom Power Plant, has 33kv-dedicated lines to the Onna industrial hub, which is home to the Jubilee Syringe factory, King Flour Mills, Metering Solutions Manufacturing Services, and the plywood sector.
Additionally, it provides consistent power to five local government areas, including Onna, Mkpat Enin, Ikot Abasi, Eastern Obolo, and Orukanam, as well as Akwa Ibom State University. In addition, the Akwa Ibom State Government has acquired a 30MVA transformer for the Ikot Abasi substation construction project.
Some state residents lamented the complete blackout or epileptic power supply in their areas despite these investments over the past seven years.
The outage was caused by the privatization of the assets used for power distribution and the Federal Government’s complete control over the transmission of power, as the Akwa Ibom State government had little influence over how the assets were used.
Akwa Ibom will be able to efficiently manage its power resources with the help of this new approval.
