WITH a plan by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to establish power plants in Kaduna, Kano and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), there is hope for improved power supply.
The NNPC put the megawatts (mw) capacity of the plants at 4, 600.
If achieved, power generation may rise above 9, 000 megawatts.
The development came yesterday on the heels of plans by Egbin Power Plc, near Ikorodu, a Lagos suburb, to raise its generation capacity from 1,250mw to 1,800mw.
According to a report by the Advisory Power Team in the Office of the Vice President, power generation figures in the first three weeks of this month were: 5, 156mw, 5, 077mw and 5,103mw.
In a statement in Abuja by NNPC spokesman Ndu Ughamadu, theoil giant said additional 4, 600mw will be generated through the recently-approved contract for the construction of the Ajaokuta-Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Gas Pipeline, dubbed the AKK Pipeline.
According to the statement, the AKK pipeline has started yielding early benefits with the commitment by the corporation to build power-generating plants with combined capacity of 4550 megawatts in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano states.
The power plant in Abuja is expected to generate 1,350 mw, Kaduna (900mw) and Kano (2,350mw).
Quoting the NNPC Group Managing Director (GMD), Dr Maikanti Baru, Ughamadu said the corporation, in partnership with private investors, would build power-generating plants to support Federal Government’s effort to providing stable electricity in the country.
The statement quoted the GMD as saying: “As part of the drive to establish power plants to augment the power supply to the nation, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has recently approved the AKK Gas Pipeline project to be financed through Public Private Partnership (PPP).
“The project comes with other auxiliary ones which include: 1,350 megawatts, 900 megawatts and 2,350 megawatts of power generation plants in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano respectively.”
It said the NNPC in partnership with private investors would also build fertilizer plants in some parts of the country, one of which would be located at Izzon, Niger State.
The NNPC spokesman said that in line with the presidential mandate on oil exploration in all the frontier basins, the corporation was well-focused on the exploration in the Bida Basin.
“We have contracted the geological mapping of the Bida Basin to Ibrahim Babangida University, Lapai and the job would be completed in three months,” the statement said.
Ughamadu said the corporation would go into more detailed seismic data acquisition in the Bida Basin by August 2018, to be followed by an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) exercise.
He said as part of the corporation’s effort to decongest the highways, the NNPC would encourage private investors to build tanker parking facilities around Minna Depot, Suleja Depot, Tegina, Mokwa, amongst others and charge the users of the facility appropriately.
The statement said talks were ongoing with the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing to re-introduce weight bridges on the highways to checkmate the issue of excessive loading by tankers above the recommended 46, 000 ton gross weight.
“The NNPC on its part has already directed all its depots nationwide to stop loading tankers with loading capacity above 40, 000litres,” he said.
In Lagos, the Egbin Egbin Power Plc, spoke of plans to shore up its capacity from 1, 250mw by 550 mw with through the use of modern technologies and renewable energy sources.
Its Chairman, Chief Kola Adesina, said the decision to achieve the feat was part of the Phase II of the project, initiated and contained in the maiden sustainability report of Egbin in 2015.
The report had “Securing the Future” as its theme. It contained the highlights of the efforts of made by the company to ensure a satisfactory management of its assets, operations and relationships and to achieve growth.
According to Adesina, the report has helped the firm in putting in entrenching solid structures towards becoming the biggest thermal plant in the sub-region.
He said: “Sahara Group (owners of Egbin Power Company), has in conjunction with Korea Energy Limited, acquired majority shareholding in order to complete Egbin’s privatisation in 2013. Following its privatisation, Egbin has invested in human, capital and infrastructure upgrade to enhance efficiency.
“This is evident in its planned investments in additional gas pipelines, the proposed Floating Storage & Regasification Unit (FSRU) project, Egbin Phase II project with an estimated capacity of between 1,350mw and 1800mw, using modern technologies as well as the deployment of renewable energy sources to boost the Plant’s productivity.”
According to him, Egbin Power Plc, has collaborated with other stakeholders, with a view to drive the adoption of a strategic direction that would reposition the sector for optimized performance.
The chairman said the company was leveraging on the recently declared eligible customer regime and mini grid regulations to advance system stability and improved service delivery.
He said the plan would enable power sector operators establish various resolution mechanisms to deal with critical challenges within the system to increase generation capacity. - The Nation
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