NDPHC re-invest $1.8bn in power transmission

From DENNIS MERNYI, Abuja
The Managing Director, NDPHC), Mr. James Olutu, has disclosed that the company would earmark $1.8billion for electricity transmission against its16,000 mega watts projection.
He explained that the federal, state, and local governments, which are shareholders in the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP) have asked the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) to reinvest the proceeds from the sales of the 10 power plants in the power sector.
Speaking in Abuja during the induction of 308 trainees for the NAPTIN Graduate Skills Development
Programme (NGSDP), Olotu said, “We are already on the verge of privatizing the power generation plants being constructed, which would require manpower to manage positions that would be opened in the process.
“From what we will be able to get from this privatization, our shareholders (the three tiers of government) have approved that the money be reinvested on power.”
According to him, NDPHC is developing about 10 power plants in hydro that would require collaboration with the Ministry of Power, Ministry of Water Resources and other relevant agencies to ensure there is over 6000 Mega Watts from hydro.
Olotu however noted that no matter the investment put in infrastructure, the human capacity must be developed, to  run or manage these machines if  the infrastructure was not to be danger, stressing that was why NDPHC will continue to partner with other power sector stakeholders. “We will do far more for NAPTIN than we have ever done,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Director General, National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), Engr. Reuben Okeke, has revealed that 17,000 technical staff are required to support the production of 40,000mw in the power sector.
He added that of the 308 trainees, 219 are males while 17 are females, adding that the Minister of Power Prof. Chinedu Nebo has asked NAPTIN to increase the representation of females in the programme.
Okeke explained that 72 of the inductees are to specialise in mechanical engineering while 236 would specialise in electrical engineering.
Meanwhile, the Director General, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) Benjamin Dikki, said that the  distribution companies are contractually obligated to reduce the aggregate technical and commercial losses.
He also noted that the generation companies have signed an agreement with the BPE to in the next five years to increase generation capacity by 5,000mw.
BPE boss said that: “The power generation alone, if we are to raise additional 10,000 mega watts these private sector investor will require to raise $7.5billion.”