ASABA — The Delta State Government has commenced reforms aimed at liberalising the power sector, attracting private investment and increasing electricity generation across the state.
The State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, disclosed this on Thursday at a press conference in Asaba, where he was accompanied by the Executive Assistant to the Governor on New Media, Mr Felix Ofou.
Aniagwu said the reforms were designed to create greater opportunities for private-sector participation through liberalisation and public-private partnerships (PPPs), stressing that the government was not interested in returning to an era when government solely controlled and operated businesses.
He said Delta was exploring its abundant gas resources as a major feedstock for electricity generation, particularly within the Kwale Free Trade Zone, which is part of the state’s special economic zone.
According to him, potential investors were taken to the zone during the state’s economic summit to showcase the availability of gas for power generation.
Aniagwu explained that increasing local electricity generation would reduce pressure on the national grid and free up more power for other consumers.
He cited the 8.5-megawatt Independent Power Plant located behind the state secretariat in Asaba as an example of the benefits of local generation.
The commissioner said the plant had enabled the secretariat complex to operate independently of the national grid, thereby making the electricity that would otherwise have been consumed by the facility available to homes and other users.
“Once you have an alternative source of power for the secretariat, the energy that would have been consumed by the secretariat becomes available for homes and other users,” he said.
Aniagwu also disclosed that the state government had entered into a partnership with Supply Power to generate an additional 120 megawatts of electricity for the national grid.
He said the initiative was part of the state’s broader efforts to improve power supply and support small and medium-sized businesses that rely heavily on electricity to operate.
The commissioner said the state government had also intervened in areas traditionally regarded as the responsibility of electricity distribution companies, insisting that poor power supply must not be allowed to undermine economic development.
He cited the extension of the electricity grid from Abraka towards the Ndokwa axis as one of the interventions, saying the project was intended to connect more communities to electricity.
Aniagwu, however, expressed concern over situations where residents and communities were required to provide transformers and other electricity infrastructure, only for distribution companies to subsequently collect electricity bills without adequately accounting for the communities’ investments.
He said the state government remained willing to support initiatives aimed at energising communities because improved electricity supply would stimulate economic activities, create employment opportunities and potentially reduce security challenges associated with unemployment and idleness.
The commissioner further disclosed that the state was working with the Ministry of Energy and a committee set up to fine-tune the state’s energy regulatory framework.
He explained that the proposed energy commission would regulate new power producers, determine appropriate pricing and oversee electricity distribution networks across the state.
Aniagwu noted that power distribution required careful planning, including determining the most suitable infrastructure—whether overhead, underground or other systems—based on the peculiarities of each location.
He stressed that effective regulation was essential to ensure that expansion of electricity infrastructure did not expose residents to electrocution and other hazards.
According to him, the regulatory framework would also promote fair pricing and protect electricity infrastructure from abuse and vandalism.
Aniagwu said the ultimate goal of the reforms was to build a more efficient and sustainable power sector capable of supporting businesses, communities and households across Delta State.
