LAGOS TO INAUGURATE 8.8MW POWER PLANT OCT 31 Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, will formally switch on the states 8.8 mega watts Mainland Independent Power Plant by the end of October, in his administrations move to ensure steady electricity supply in the state. The event, which is slated for Friday, October 31, would be the climax of this years Energy Conservation Month, which began on October 1 in the state. According to the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Taofiq Tijani, the power plant, located at the Government Reservation Area, Ikeja, when switched on, will ensure 24-hour electricity power supply to a number of public institutions. The institutions include the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja High Court Complex, Old Secretariat Complex, Ikeja Water Works, and guarantee over 20 kilometres of public lighting to select streets around Ikeja. Tijani, who spoke to newsmen in Ikeja, also announced moves to intensity energy conservation efforts, to bring power to the people of the state. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and its implementing agency, the Lagos State Electricity Board (LSEB), are championing the campaign for energy conservation through the one-month programme. Tijani said the campaign is intended to enable more residents to be well informed about the benefits of energy conservation. The Energy Conservation Month initiative was launched last year as a Behavioural Change Campaign to instil the habit of efficient use of electric power in residents. The campaign, dubbed Conserve Energy, Save Money, runs throughout the 31 days in the month, during which the benefits of efficient use of available power are espoused to the residents. Tijani said: We are persuaded that when people understand the benefits of energy conservation to their own personal finances, it will make adoption of the practice easier. He stated that during the commemoration of the Energy Conservation Month, a number of initiatives aimed at boosting the adoption of energy conservation habits among residents would be launched. These, according to him, include the launch of the improved Lagos Energy Calculator App, the first consumer-focused application in Africa, designed to help consumers closely estimate the amount of energy they consume and then take steps to conserve energy and reduce wastage. Tijani also said that a colourful road show across five regions in the state, Ikorodu, Badagry, Epe, Eti-Osa and Oshodi, would also be held as part of efforts by government to inform more residents about the benefits of energy conservation. As part of steps to achieve an all-inclusive reach, he stated that ace rapper, Jude Abaga, popularly called M.I, who is also the Energy Conservation Ambassador, would drive the Are You In or Out campaign on social media, in a bid to further drive home the energy conservation message. Tijani added that the commemoration of the Energy Conservation Month this year would also include the Lagos INVenTergy Challenge. The initiative is similar to the Dragons Den and is aimed at encouraging young inventors who have designed efficient and cost- effective energy solutions. Tijani added that the Lagos Energy Academy would be commissioned during the month, explaining that the academy was an initiative of the Lagos State government in partnership with Siemens AG and Lagos Eko Project, established as a centre of excellence in energy training and education, research and innovation in Nigeria. The training facility will combine classroom-based training with comprehensive hands-on vocational training to produce young, skilled individuals to meet the skilled labour requirements of the energy sector and also act as a platform to upscale the skill levels of existing power sector technicians, he said. While encouraging Lagosians to take energy conservation seriously, Tijani noted that in addition to helping them save money, energy conservation also helps preserve energy for future use as well as protect the environment. He enjoined all young Lagosians to be part of the energy conservation culture by being involved through the online media via the hash tag #AreYouInOrOut#. He also urged residents to watch out for robust conversations on Twitter (@lagosenergy), follow the movement and become an INsider. The Lagos State government has successfully launched three Independent Power Plants in the past four years, one of them being the Akute IPP, a 12.15MW capacity facility, which currently enables the Lagos Water Corporation to pump over 130 million gallons of water daily. The second one is the 10MW Island Power Plant, which supplies 24- hour uninterrupted electricity to the General Hospital and Island Maternity Hospital both on Lagos Island, High Court and Magistrates Court complexes and over 22 streetlights. The third, the 10.4MW Alausa Power Plant, powers the Lagos State Government Secretariat complex thus making it the first seat of power in Nigeria to be run without generators. All the power plants run on natural gas thereby reducing carbon emissions and promoting a safer and cleaner environment.
Posted on: Wed, 08 Oct 2014 23:01:24 +0000
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