Bayelsa must plan beyond 60MW power capacity says Ambakederimo

Bayelsa must plan beyond 60MW power capacity says Ambakederimo
Elder Joseph Ambakederimo, Convener, South-South Development Group, has urged Bayelsa to plan for increased electricity generation as businesses and industries return to the state.
Ambakederimo made the call at a roundtable on “Bayelsa Power Infrastructure and Its Value Chain Objectives” to mark the state’s 30th anniversary.
He said the state’s 60-megawatt gas turbine was a major step towards achieving reliable electricity but warned that the capacity would not meet future demand.
“Without power, you cannot industrialise. Power is everything,” Ambakederimo said.
He urged the government and stakeholders to begin planning immediately for additional generation capacity rather than waiting for demand to outgrow existing infrastructure.
Ambakederimo said reliable electricity would attract private investment, stimulate industrialisation, create jobs and improve the quality of life of residents.
He said the Electricity Act 2023 had created opportunities for states to develop their electricity markets and attract private capital.
According to him, Bayelsa must strengthen its electricity value chain, covering gas supply, generation, transmission, distribution, metering and renewable energy.
He said the state should also create a stable regulatory environment capable of reducing risks for investors and encouraging private-sector participation.
Ambakederimo said Bayelsa’s abundant gas resources provided an opportunity to develop a sustainable power economy but urged stakeholders to ensure effective utilisation of the resources.
He said the roundtable was convened to move discussions beyond policy to practical solutions for reliable and sustainable electricity supply.
The Director-General of the Bayelsa Electricity Regulatory Agency (BYERA), Dr Roseline Dressman, assured consumers that electricity from the state’s emerging market would be cheaper than power from the national grid.
“The good news I have for you here is that it will not be as expensive as the electricity from the national grid,” Dressman said.
She, however, urged consumers to pay their bills regularly to sustain gas supply and electricity generation in the state.
Dressman said Bayelsa had enjoyed improved electricity supply for more than three months, with some areas receiving almost 20 hours of supply daily.
She said the 60MW turbine was insufficient to meet the state’s electricity demand, adding that BYERA was processing about 13 mini-grid proposals.
Also speaking at the event, Chairman, Bayelsa Traditional Rulers Council, King Bubaraye Dakolo, said reliable electricity would encourage businesses to return to the state and increase productivity.
Engr. Stephen Bubagha, Director of Operations, Bayelsa Electricity Company, said the state must invest in transmission and distribution infrastructure to maximise the benefits of its generation capacity.
Bubagha said the 60MW plant could become inadequate as increased electricity supply attracted more industries and businesses to the state.
Energy finance expert, Mr Ebi Clark, said Bayelsa needed reliable consumer data and a coordinated project pipeline to attract investors into its emerging electricity market.
Prof. Francis Sikoki of the University of Africa, Toru-Orua, urged universities and private investors to explore opportunities in solar-panel manufacturing, energy storage and smart metering.
Panelists at the roundtable identified reliable electricity supply, infrastructure development, investment and effective regulation as critical to Bayelsa’s industrialisation.