Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, will formally switch on the state’s 8.8 mega watts Mainland Independent Power Plant by the end of October, in his administration’s move to ensure steady electricity supply in the state.
The event, which is slated for Friday, October 31, would be the climax of this year’s Energy Conservation Month, which began on October 1 in the state.
According to the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Taofiq Tijani, the power plant, located at the Government Reservation Area, Ikeja, when switched on, will ensure 24-hour electricity power supply to a number of public institutions.
The institutions include the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja High Court Complex, Old Secretariat Complex, Ikeja Water Works, and guarantee over 20 kilometres of public lighting to select streets around Ikeja.
Tijani, who spoke to newsmen in Ikeja, also announced moves to intensity energy conservation efforts, to bring power to the people of the state.
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and its implementing agency, the Lagos State Electricity Board (LSEB), are championing the campaign for energy conservation through the one-month programme.
Tijani said the campaign is intended to enable more residents to be well informed about the benefits of energy conservation.
The Energy Conservation Month initiative was launched last year as a Behavioural Change Campaign to instil the habit of efficient use of electric power in residents.
The campaign, dubbed “Conserve Energy, Save Money,” runs throughout the 31 days in the month, during which the benefits of efficient use of available power are espoused to the residents.
Tijani said: “We are persuaded that when people understand the benefits of energy conservation to their own personal finances, it will make adoption of the practice easier.”
He stated that during the commemoration of the Energy Conservation Month, a number of initiatives aimed at boosting the adoption of energy conservation habits among residents would be launched.
