The Minister of Power, Adelabu Adebayo, has voiced his dissatisfaction with the current condition of the 215 megawatt Kudenden power generation plant in Kaduna State.
The minister, during a visit to the plant on Tuesday, also issued a stern warning to the management of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, KAEDCO, for not being transparent about the challenges faced by the company and the broader power distribution issues within its franchise area.
He emphasised that the company’s payment of only nine per cent of its debts was unacceptable.
Adebayo said: “If the DISCOs were paying 75 to 80 per cent of their debts, I would be at ease because the 10 to 20 per cent shortfalls could be managed.”
The minister underscored the need to enhance power generation and distribution across the country, particularly in the northern region.
He expressed disappointment over the stalled progress of the Kudenden power project but confirmed that efforts are underway to operationalise the plant.
“During our visit to the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, we discussed critical issues affecting electricity generation, such as power theft and vandalism,” he stated.
The minister highlighted that the deliberate destruction of power assets, including transmission systems, high voltage cables, and transformers, has become widespread, particularly in the northern areas, affecting the stability of electricity distribution.
He revealed ongoing collaborations with the National Security Adviser, the Federal Ministry of Interior, and other security agencies to curb these destructive activities.
FG dissatisfied with condition of 215MW Kaduna power station
