Africa Press-Nigeria<\/p>\n
The Power Generation Companies of Nigeria (GenCos) have assured Nigerians of adequate power in the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
Mrs Joy Ogaji, Executive Secretary, Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC) gave the assurance in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Ogaji said that GenCos were working hard enough to ensure adequate power generation is sustained during the Coronavirus crisis, NAN reports.<\/p>\n
According to her, they are committed to improving power generation from Thermal and Renewable (Hydro Power Plants) sources across the country.<\/p>\n
However, lamenting about the shortage of gas, Ogaji said the power generation companies need urgent government intervention at this time.<\/p>\n
\u201cGenCos are altering their business practices and developing strategies to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo this end, GenCos have established telework protocols to ensure that non-essential, non-critical employees work from home.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is evidence in the increase in power generation which has averaged 4,024MW since the index case was recorded on Feb. 27.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile implementing continuation of services, GenCos plan to ensure operations and service delivery continue to prevent more economic disruption,\u201dshe said.<\/p>\n
Ogaji, however, complained of shortage of gas supply for thermal generation companies as thermal power from gas and steam turbines accounted for about 80 per cent of the country\u2019s power generation.<\/p>\n
She explained that gas unavailability hindered power generation in Thermal Power Plants and that gas cost constituted over 60 per cent of wholesale electricity tariffs.<\/p>\n
\u201cHence, what goes on in the gas sector has huge implications for the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI),\u201d the executive secretary said.<\/p>\n
She added that suppliers demanded upfront payment before they made gas available and that GenCos could not afford to meet the request given the liquidity issues in the NESI.<\/p>\n
\u201cGeneration Companies are willing to work with relevant stakeholders such as the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).<\/p>\n
\u201cWith oversight over gas resources, we can develop novel approaches in making gas available for generation companies.<\/p>\n
\u201d Gas and transmission (evacuation) are critical and urgent needs outside the control of the generation companies. It calls for urgent government intervention.<\/p>\n
\u201cGenCos are corporate citizens with zeal and are willing to build the nation together with the government,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
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Africa Press-Nigeria The Power Generation Companies of Nigeria (GenCos) have assured Nigerians of adequate power in the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mrs Joy Ogaji, Executive Secretary, Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC) gave the assurance in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday. Ogaji said that GenCos were working hard enough to ensure adequate power […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":62,"featured_media":23349,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,14],"tags":[1451,1001],"class_list":["post-23346","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-policy","tag-covid-19","tag-federal-government"],"yoast_head":"\n