Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has made it clear that electricity supply from the state’s Independent Power Plant (IPP), once operational, will not be provided free of charge to residents.
The governor gave this clarification on Thursday during his inspection tour of the Elebele site in Ogbia Local Government Area, where six of the eight new 60-megawatt (MW) gas turbines had already been delivered.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the equipment, along with vital accessories, arrived in Bayelsa about a week ago. Governor Diri expressed optimism that by December, Bayelsans would begin to enjoy uninterrupted power supply.
He stressed that the government had finalized a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Jampur Group to establish a metering plant in the state, ensuring accountability in power consumption.
“I had given the end of this year as a deadline for this project, and we are sticking to that. Hopefully, before Christmas, we will have these turbines fired up, and by God’s Grace, Bayelsa will begin to have 24 hours of uninterrupted power supply.
We are actually expecting eight gas turbines, but six have arrived, and I have been assured that the remaining two, with some accessories, will be here next week. These are the most modern gas turbines.
Initially, we planned to have two very large plants, but the experts advised that there could be a blackout if one of them breaks down. So I had to approve the eight.
As you know, to maintain this equipment and the gas to fire them, even though it is on our soil, we will spend money to procure it from the company. So it is not free. For there to be constant electricity, everybody must pay for it. It is pay as you consume,” he explained.
The Commissioner for Power, Kharin Komuko, described the project as a significant milestone for the administration’s “Assured Prosperity” agenda, while Engr. Olice Kemenanabo, Managing Director of Bayelsa Electricity Company, highlighted ongoing collaborations with Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) to avoid legal issues in electricity distribution.
Jampur Group’s Project Manager, Mr. Sharif Abu, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to meeting the strict project timeline.
Governor Diri also visited other state projects, including the 25,000-capacity stadium at Igbogene and a nine-storey civil service secretariat at Ovom. He was accompanied by Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Speaker of the House of Assembly Abraham Ingobere, and other key officials.
okay.ng reports that the governor’s stance signals a decisive shift towards sustainable electricity delivery where consumers will be responsible for usage, ensuring maintenance and continuity of supply.
