Delta State is moving to expand electricity generation beyond the national grid, with a proposed 120-megawatt addition through a partnership with Supply Power.
The initiative is part of the state government’s broader push to attract private investment into the electricity sector and develop alternative sources of power for businesses, households and communities.
Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Charles Aniagwu, disclosed the plan on Friday during a press briefing in Asaba. He was accompanied by the governor’s Executive Assistant on New Media, Felix Ofou.
Gas Could Power Delta’s Next Energy Push
Aniagwu said the state intends to take advantage of its natural gas resources to expand electricity generation.
One area attracting particular attention is the Kwale Free Trade Zone, located within Delta’s special economic zone.
Investors attending the state’s recent economic summit were taken to the area to examine its gas potential and assess opportunities for using the resource as a feedstock for power generation.
The government’s strategy, according to Aniagwu, is not simply about producing more electricity for Delta.
More local generation could also reduce demand on the national grid, leaving additional capacity available for consumers elsewhere.
Asaba Plant Shows What Is Possible
The commissioner pointed to the 8.5MW Independent Power Plant behind the Delta State Secretariat in Asaba as an example of the state’s alternative-power strategy.
The facility allows the secretariat complex to operate without relying entirely on the national grid.
That arrangement effectively releases the electricity that the complex would otherwise draw from the grid for use by other consumers.
Aniagwu said the proposed 120MW Supply Power project would take that approach considerably further, strengthening electricity availability and creating a more dependable power base for small and medium-sized businesses.
State Steps Into Distribution Gaps
The government is also intervening in parts of the electricity system traditionally handled by distribution companies.
Aniagwu said inadequate power had become too significant an obstacle to economic growth for the state to remain on the sidelines.
Among the projects is an electricity-grid extension from Abraka towards the Ndokwa axis, designed to bring more communities into the power network.
However, the commissioner criticised a situation in which communities finance infrastructure such as transformers, only for distribution companies to subsequently take control of those assets and bill consumers without adequately recognising the communities’ investment.
He said Delta would continue supporting projects that bring electricity closer to underserved communities.
Why Regulation Matters
Expanding generation is only one part of the state’s plan.
Aniagwu said the government was working with the Ministry of Energy and a committee developing a regulatory framework for Delta’s emerging electricity market.
A proposed energy commission would oversee new power producers, establish appropriate tariffs and regulate distribution networks.
The commissioner stressed that opening the electricity sector to private players must be accompanied by strong oversight.
Without effective regulation, he warned, rapid expansion could create risks ranging from electrocution and infrastructure damage to excessive consumer charges.
Decisions about infrastructure would also need to reflect local conditions. For example, the choice between overhead and underground power lines should depend on the specific safety and environmental requirements of each location.
The Bigger Economic Goal
For Delta, the power strategy goes beyond keeping the lights on.
Reliable electricity is being positioned as an economic-development tool.
The government expects improved supply to help businesses expand, support job creation and reduce some of the social pressures associated with unemployment and economic inactivity.
The long-term ambition is to build a sustainable, privately driven electricity market capable of supplying power to Delta’s businesses, homes and communities while reducing pressure on the national grid.