The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has granted four on-grid licenses to Zuma Energy Nigeria Limited to produce 1,200 megawatts (mw) power at Itobe, Kogi State.
NERC in a statement from the Public Affairs Head, Usman Abba Arabi, said each unit of the power plant has capacity to generate 300mw at Itobe 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Zuma Energy is the second licensed plant on coal-to-power generation this year.
It said Zuma’s licence is an amendment to an earlier one issued in 2011 to enable it assign the licence to four different Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), and ease of project finance.
NERC’s chairman, Dr Sam Amadi, said Zuma Energy was a major stakeholder and a pathfinder in coal-powered generation which is guiding Nigeria towards diversifying electricity generation.
He urged Zuma Energy to work towards securing a power purchase agreement through the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading so that it could commence operations in not too distant time.
Managing Director, Zuma Energy Power Ltd., Dr. Innocent Ezuma, in his response said the amendment to an earlier licence which led to issuance of four different licences was for ease of implementation.
“With this subdivision, it means we can commence work on two plants simultaneously.”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Power has signed another pact for generating 500megawatts (mw) from coal resources.
The ministry, shortly after the signing ceremony between the minister, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, and One Nation Energy Platform Ltd, described the move as a good stride in government’s quest for a robust energy mix in the power sector.
Chairman of One Nation Energy, Chief Uzoma Obiyo, expressed his company’s commitment to the realization of the project and called on the government to help fast-track the procurement of necessary permits and licenses.
