‘We’ve not received any directive’ — NDPHC speaks on privatisation of power plants

The Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) says it has not yet received a directive on the planned sale of five National Integrated Power Projects (NIPPs).

The power plants were part of assets put up for sale by the federal government, through the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).

The five power projects include the Benin Generation Company Limited at Ihovba, Edo state; Calabar Generation Company Limited, Cross River state; Geregu Generation Company Limited, Kogi state; Olorunsogo Generation Company Limited, Ogun state and Omotosho Generation Company Limited, Ondo state.

In March 2022, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited had indicated interest in acquiring some Nigeria Integrated Power Plants (NIPPs).

Speaking with journalists in a recent news conference, Chiedu Ugbo, chief executive officer NDPHC, said the owners of the power plants will determine when it will be sold.

“Again, for sales, it is the owners that determine sales. We’ve not received any directive yet and I believe the government and the several stakeholders will review what has been done and the government will take a decision on what needs to be done,” he said.

“Whether this is the right time to sell or not, that is a decision to be made by the government (federal and state governments).”

Ugbo said the NDPHC, which commenced the design of 10 NIPP power plants in 2006, has already completed eight — while two are yet to be commissioned.

He said the power plants have a current installed capacity of 3,585 MW.

“What is important to note is that so far we have 3,585 megawatts, when you talk about site commissioning, but when you talk about nameplate, we have 4,000 megawatts,” NDPHC CEO said. 

Ugbo said the NDPHC is currently allocated a maximum dispatch space of 975 MW at peak period.

“Even at that 975 megawatts, we struggle to get gas,” he said.

“And all the time, I keep asking the question: we are a gas territory as they describe us. Why can’t we have gas?

“The answer is the commercial as we see. We are not being paid so we don’t pay the gas man and the gas man is not ready to provide the gas, so we keep going round and round the circle. So, that is part of the problem.”

He added that the company is facing transportation challenges, adding that the market is owing heavily and those owing us include government agencies.