The Minister of power, Dr. Lanre Babalola has unveiled plans by the Ministry to attain the targeted 6,000 mega watts electricity generation and distribution by the end of this year.

After the routine inspection of the 1,320 mw capacity Egbin Power Station in Lagos recently, Babalola said the purpose of his visit was to ensure the sustenance of all efforts to rehabilitate the plant.

He said that the target would be achieved through the rehabilitation and expansion of the existing facilities of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to generate 5,011 mwand the generation of 1, 200 mw from independent power plant.

According to him, the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP) would start to come on stream by 2010. He said: The NIPP projects, which are currently at various stages of completion, are expected to contribute about 5,000 mw to the national grid on completion.

These are to boost the 10, 000 mw target by 2011”

He re-iterated the gas challenge but pointed out that the Ministry was holding talks with stakeholders in the oil and gas sector to integrate their plans and ensure that gas is available.

Babalola said that the gas producers had assured him that gas would be available before the end of the year, pointing out that the optimism they had expressed over the attainment of 6,000mw was due to this assurance.

The minister said plans were in the offing to harness the dams in the north for small hydro plants in order to increase access to electricity by Nigerians.

He said that the total available capacity from the country’s three hydro stations-Kainji, Shiroro and Jebba is only 1, 200mw.

He lamented that the hydro stations are depleting much water faster owing to the over-reliability on the stations for power supply in view of the gas scarcity.

Babalola said that the water levels at the hydro stations are yet to reach the peak.

He said: We are satisfied with what we saw on the ground. If gas is available, Egbin can generate 1,100mw. The target does not stop at 6,000 mw. The 6,000 mw was based on and the structure on ground current national demand for distribution. We believe that we can achieve 6,000mw but it is very difficult when you have these challenges.”

On the renewed clamour for gas alternatives, Babalola disclosed that only Egbin was designed to use both gas and fuel oil as all other power plants rely solely on natural gas.

He also said that given the volume of gas, the only way to supply it is through the pipelines.

On renewable energy as an alternative source of power supply, Babalola said that the Federal Government has plans to develop coal power plants near large coal deposits, while solar and wind were being considered, especially for off-grid system at the rural areas.