EKEDC targets 400 mega watts embedded power supply to consumers – CEO

The Eko Electricity Distribution Company on Tuesday said it was targeting 400 mega watts of embedded power to supply its consumers in the next one year.
Oladele Amoda, the Chief Executive Officer, EKEDC, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.
Embedded power is electricity generated from a plant that is outside the regional electricity grid.
Amoda said that the essence of the embedded power was to avoid rationing electricity supply to consumers within the network, adding that it would also save the zone from depending on the national grid.
According to him, under the embedded scheme, the energy supply control of the zone is not be subjected to grid manipulation or issue of incessant system collapse.
He said: We are starting gradually to round up with about 400 mega watts embedded energy supply by next year.
“So many power companies have indicated interest to partner with us.
“At the expiration of the ongoing advert, we are going to pick the choice companies to partner with.
“Before drawing the Private Partnership Agreements, the zone will inform the Nigerian Electricity Regulation Agency before rolling out the first embedded electricity generation into the system by July 2014.”
Amoda said that about 35 companies had obtained application forms to partner with EKEDC on embedded power supply, adding that the EKEDC was looking for 100 companies to key into the scheme.
He said that EKEDC was discussing with some big companies such as the Flour mills, Honeywell and others which were generating more than what they can use on captive power solution.
Amoda, who lamented the increasing vandalism of facilities, said that EKEDC had being receiving low power allocations from the national grid, forcing the company to ration available electricity supply.
He said the company was working relentlessly to improve electricity supply to the zone.
The EKEDC boss identified shortage of gas as another major factor that was militating against regular supply of electricity to the state.
Amoda, who said that the company had the capacity to receive about 700 mega watts from the national grid, said that it hardly received 250 mega watts, leading to massive low shedding of electricity.