Enugu State governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has disclosed that his administration is already engaging investors and developers in the power sector to set up electricity generation plants that will drive the state to achieve its target $30 billion economy from the $4.4 billion it met the economy in May 2023.
The governor, who spoke on Thursday in Enugu as Chief Host at a townhall organized by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) themed, “Customer Complaints Resolution Meeting”, said the new Enugu Electricity Law empowered the state to develop its own commercially viable electricity market which is safe, reliable and sustainable.
Following the passage of the law, the governor explained that the state did not waste time in setting up the Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission with commissioners saddled with the responsibility of assuming regulatory authority over electricity services in the state.
“We have started engaging developers and investors interested in setting up power generation plants to supply our citizens under ‘willing-buyer, willing-seller’ commercial agreement,” the governor, who spoke through the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyai, added.
He lamented the challenges that electricity consumers have been facing in the state which include epileptic power supply, and in extreme cases, total national grid collapse, thereby hindering production and investments, saying his administration would partner with the NERC and the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) to address the challenges.
Governor Mbah, while expressing optimism that the poor national grid supply to Enugu State would soon be reversed with improved supply from other energy sources, said the administration was currently understudying underserved and unserved communities through the newly established Enugu State Electrification Agency.
Also speaking on the backstage of the townhall, the Chairman of the state electricity regulatory commission, Mr. Chijioke Okonkwo, commended NERC for bringing customers together to address some of their challenges and needs in the power sector, saying the state government’s initiative to set up its own electricity market will help to address citizens and investors’ power needs.
Okonkwo called on investors in the power industry to see Enugu State as a viable state with the right infrastructure for power generation, declaring that the state is open to welcome all investment opportunities across board.