Teddy Oscar, Abuja
The Bauchi State government has revealed that it plans to generate 120 megawatts of electricity that would cost the state government the sum of $200 million (about N32,970 billion) to achieve.
The state governor, Alhaji Isah Yuguda, dropped the hint on Thursday while receiving the Embedded Generation Licence from the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in Abuja.
He added that the project is expected to come alive within 18 months.
“I am happy today that we are the first state to get a licence to generate power. We want to assure you that given the agreement that were signed with those who will construct the plant, that initially they have given us 18 months for the delivery of up to 120mw.
“We believe in the first three months from the day of their clearing of site, we will deliver the 35mw; and given that, we have signed an MoU with Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC). Once we have sufficient power, then, we can sell the balance to other states and consumers,” he said.
He noted that having considered the attendant gas supply constraints being experienced in power generation, Yankari Power is designed to use gas, crude oil and Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO) as options.
He stated that the project’s funding is included in the $1.6 billion China EXIM Bank soft loan, payable within 25 years; counterpart funding from the Federal Government’s Electricity Intervention Fund from the Bank of Industry (BoI) and equity contributions from the state government.
While presenting the licence to the governor, NERC chairman, Dr. Sam Amadi, said: “For this project, we are satisfied with the technical, commercial, environmental issues, and having gone through due process, the commission gladly issued a licence authorising the state government to do that power and also serve its citizens.”
He noted that the project should be emulated and executed as a model by other state governments and stakeholders to improve access to power.
Yankari Power is an expected 35mw embedded gas-fired Independent Power Plant (IPP) located in Gudun Industrial Layout of Bauchi in Bauchi State.
Its licence process was initiated in March 2012, following the submission of a licence application.
Speaking at the event, NERC commissioner, Legal, Licensing and Enforcement (LL&E), Dr. Steve Andzenge, said that the company complied with the requirements stipulated in the NERC regulations for licence application, hence the commission granted it the ‘Embedded Electricity Generation Licence.’
