Jesse Ese, Yenagoa
As the drop in the power network in Yenagoa continues, the Bayelsa State Electricity Company has revealed that the epileptic power supply has persisted because the power plant was too old to power the state capital.
The Managing Director of the Bayelsa State Electricity Company, and Special Assistant to the Governor on Power, Engr. Olice Kemenanbo, who spoke to newsmen in his office recently, disclosed that they had been managing the Gbarain power plant for a very long time now and does not have the capacity to supply Yenagoa anymore.
Engr. Olice stressed that the distribution and transmission network in the state is very weak. He added that some areas in the state experience low power supply even when there is high generation from the power plant as a result of the weak energy surge; that they don’t have means to evacuate the power that is generated from the ones that have been completed.
He said that the previous administration claimed to have commissioned a new power plant but did not, that there is only one power plant that is supplying power to Yenagoa. He added that the Imiringi power station is on but has a few problems which they are trying to rectify.
Engr. Olice Kemenanabo explained that Yenagoa has grown beyond 20 mega watts since 2004 that they are trying to put in place a system that would supply about 60 mega watts to the state capital.
He added that the state government is set financially, but they are waiting to come up with a comprehensive documentation of the project so that there will be no going back. He said that the breakdown in the sector is as a result of cheap contractual lapses.
Engr. Olice further stated that the power supply in Yenagoa in two year’s time will be encouraging if the generation, distribution and transmission companies improve on their facilities; adding that that is the only way out of it.
While noting some of their major constraints which include weak delivery system, inefficient collection system due to lack of meters and failure to accept that electricity should not be free, Engr. Olice urged Bayelsans to be patient, adding that electricity infrastructure do not come cheap, and that they need to start from the beginning to the end.
