The Ondo State Government has stepped up efforts to fix its struggling power sector, announcing a strategic partnership with the FGN Power Company to upgrade electricity transmission under the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI).
The move is aimed at ending years of unreliable supply and ageing infrastructure that have left residents and businesses with far less electricity than the state actually requires.
At a meeting with federal officials in Akure, the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Johnson Alabi, laid bare the scale of the challenge.
Despite hosting the Omotoso Power Plant, which produces about 1,000 megawatts, the state currently receives less than 10 megawatts for its own use.
He stressed that the state needs roughly 700 megawatts to function effectively, pointing out that the existing transmission line from Osogbo to Akure can only carry about 50 megawatts — a fraction of what is required.
Taking advantage of the Electricity Act 2023, which allows states to run their own electricity markets, the administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has begun laying the groundwork for an independent state grid.
Among the measures already in motion are plans to purchase power directly from generation companies, as well as the creation of new institutions to manage and regulate the sector.
These include the Ondo State Power Company, which will oversee distribution, and the Ondo State Electricity Regulatory Bureau, set up to safeguard both investors and consumers.
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The government has also introduced enforcement mechanisms, including a Special Offences Court to tackle electricity-related crimes, alongside a state-led metering initiative aimed at improving transparency and billing.
Representing the FGN Power Company, Chief Commercial Officer Babatunde Daramola-Oniru said the federal government plans to add 4,000 megawatts to the national grid over the next three years, with Ondo listed as a priority.
Under the proposal, about 240 megawatts will be delivered starting from Ondo town.
However, Alabi urged that the project should go further, calling for transmission lines to be extended to underserved communities such as Owo, Akoko and Ose.
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He also emphasised the need for the state to take ownership of the infrastructure once completed, to ensure it aligns with its long-term goal of running an independent power network.
The meeting marked the start of what both sides described as a commercial partnership designed to reposition Ondo from merely hosting power generation facilities to fully benefiting from them.
With these reforms, the state government hopes to unlock economic growth, improve living conditions and ensure more reliable electricity supply for households and businesses.
