The Niger Delta region in Nigeria has kicked off a rescue effort over 800MW of power from several power plants in the region. The rescue activities will be performed by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC).
However, it is believed that, several power plants that were constructed under the National Integrated Power Plants (NIPP) have been doing well in power generation but not contributing to the National Grid due to insufficient transmission network and the related issues concerning the Right of Way (ROW) raised by some communities and individuals who are currently making demands for their cash crops, land, and structures from the NDPHC.
The country’s population of 180million is depending on the 4000MW of power generated by the NDPHC to the national grid leaving many cities in darkness, given that power generation from other power plants in the country which are not yet connected to the main national supply.
Responding to the challenge, the NDPHC officials toured the 330KV transmission network connected to the Egbema power plant in Imo State. The officials also caution on the dangerous activities of putting up structures right under the transmission line in Port Harcourt and Owerri, with about 45 uncompleted structures being erected along the Enugu-Ikot Ekpene transmission line that connects the active Calabar power plant installed with 563MW in Odukpani.
According to Ben Iruoha, the NDPHC Head of Environment explained that, a corridor of ROW has to be introduced to allow the construction of the transmission lines of 330kv and 132kv with a space difference of 50m and 30m respectively, to allow other power generating plants in the country gets connected to the national grid.
