It is no more news that in the next few weeks, the Bayelsa State government will provide steady power supply for residents of the state, from the new 60 megawatts gas turbine which is currently being installed.
But what may be news is the fact that the people need to brace up and get ready to pay for whatever electricity they are going to consume, according to the state governor, Senator Douye Diri.
Bayelsans have become used to enjoying free electricity supply. From the days of the late Melford Okilo, when Bayelsa was still under Rivers, up till the time of the late Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and even till the days of Dr Goodluck Jonathan as governor, the people were enjoying free electricity.
Even when the state got connected to the national grid, it became a herculean task for PHED to collect money from the residents, who had the mindset that electricity consumption ought to be free, having been used to it.
But to be able to maintain the turbine and ensure consistent power supply, the governor has said that the trend would end.
Accompanied by his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Abraham Ingobere, chairman of the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Solomon Agwana, the Commissioner for Power, Kharin Komuko, and other government officials, the Bayelsa governor said while visiting the installation site, that that consumption would be metered and paid for as the government had already signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Jampur Group for establishing a customised metering production plant in the state.
He said: “I had given the end of this year as 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 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 later, the experts advised that there could be blackout if one of them breaks down. So I had to approve the eight.
“As you know, to maintain these 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.”
The Commissioner for Power, Mr. Kharin Komuko, who also spoke, described the project as dream come true for the ASSURED Prosperity administration.
He said when the governor first spoke about it, there was open cynicism by critics of the government and thanked him for making good his promise.
Also, Managing Director of the Bayelsa State Electricity Company, Engr. Olice Kemenanabo, who explained the role of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) in the state’s IPP project, said the Electricity Act had grey areas that were interwoven to ensure that all legacy distribution companies were carried along.
Kemenanabo said the state and PHEDC were working together to avoid any legal tussle between the franchise owners and the distribution network. He further stated that the PHEDC existing network, which has over four hundred transformers in the state, would be utilised for power distribution.
Speaking on behalf of the Jampur Group, technical partners to the state electricity company, the Project Manager, Mr. Sharif Abu, described the gas turbine project as very crucial and sensitive, noting that the precise time schedule for completion would be met.
The governor also inspected sites of the ongoing construction of the 25,000-capacity stadium at Igbogene and the 9-storey civil servants secretariat project at Ovom, both in Yenagoa Local Government Area.
