Abia will no longer be affected by national grid collapse, gov Otti declares

Abia State residents will no longer experience power outage whenever the national grid suffers collapse.

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State made the declaration on Thursday while addressing journalists at the state’s government house.

This year alone, the national grid has suffered two collapses, leading to the disruption of both business and other human activities.

To end the incessant disruptions, the Otti’s administration said it is now investing in converting organic waste products into electricity.

According to him, waste products are now being converted from biogas into renewable energy for Abians, adding that the state is no longer under the control of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

He also disclosed that the new arrangement had been negotiated and accepted by the utility firm Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) in charge of power in the state.

“This is a pilot programme. Instead of throwing away waste, we can turn it into clean energy, and we will be able to power a lot of places, particularly the Umuhaia in-farms.

“I had reported earlier that our offers to EEDC have been accepted, and we are in the process of raising the funds to pay off EEDC.

“On the 24th of December, the Abia state electricity regulation authority took over the regulation of power from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission. So everything about distribution, generation, and transmission is going to be regulated within the state.

“The whole idea is to ensure regulation of efficiency and independence in the state, just like the Aba Power provides power for the Aba in-farms.

“I am sure you would have been aware that some of the disasters (national grid collapses) that happened recently, our state was not affected, because a whole part of our power assets is within our authority.

“That is the whole idea of acquiring the whole Umuahia in-farms.

“I am happy we are making a lot of progress in that regard”, he said.

Daily Intel Newspaper recalls that under the new electricity Act signed into law by President Bola Tinubu, states are empowered to regulate, generate, and distribute electricity within their respective jurisdictions.