Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has taken steps to ensure that Umuahia, the capital city and every part of the state attained stable power supply in no distant time.
He believes this goal could be achieved through the completion of the Alaoji Power Plant, a 1,074MW combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT), which was initiated during the administration of Goodluck Jonathan under the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP).
Otti’s optimism of stable power supply for the entire Abia was fired up yesterday, when he visited the Alaoji Power Station with the Chairman of Crome Group, Chief Emeka Offor, whose firm was handling the project.
Recently the Geometric Power Group’s integrated power project was inaugurated to provide electricity exclusively for the Aba Ring-fenced area comprising nine out of Abia’s 17 local governments.
Otti said he was encouraged by the development to seek for stable power supply for Umuahia and the remaining local governments not covered by Geometric hence his visit to Alaoji IPP.
The Alaoji Power plant located in Ugwunagbo Local Government, close to Aba was being developed in multiple phases is fitted with four GE Frame 9E Gas Turbines of 126MW, each, and two GE Steam Turbines of 286MW, each.
In the first phase of the power plant, four gas-powered Turbines, were completed and inaugurated in 2015 by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The rest of the project is now being developed by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), owned by the Chrome Group. Work is ongoing on the additional two Steam Turbines, which will bring the plant’s total capacity to 1,074MW.
Otti, who was impressed with the prospect of uninterrupted power supply for Abia with the generating capacity of the Alaoji IPP, promised that his administration was committed to facilitating the completion of the project.
“At the moment, my understanding is that the plant is not generating any power because of gas issues, which I believe would be solved shortly, but I think the more fundamental issue is that the capacity is very low.
“From what I gathered from the consortium clearly, the capacity could be expanded from anywhere between 45 megawatts to 1,072 megawatts,” he said. “We will do everything possible to ensure that this happens,” Otti vowed.
The Abia governor said he had been assured that within a timeline of between 18 and 24 months that maximum capacity would be achieved.
“My plea to them is that since we have virtually solved the Aba power needs, that the first set of power that will be generated from here should be transmitted to Umuahia and distributed through the EEDC (Enugu Electricity Distribution Company),” he said.
Otti said Offor, whose Chrome Group controls the EEDC, gave him the approval and understanding that his quest for stable power supply for Abia “would happen.”
To accelerate the pace of work at the Alaoji plant, the Abia Governor immediately directed the Mayor of Ugwunagbo LG, Chief Emeka Ihesiaba, to liaise with the Commissioner for Works, to provide smooth access to the site.
He noted that good access road would make for the smooth transportation of materials and equipment to the site from Onne Port in Rivers State where the imported equipment and materials landed.
Offor, whose company is the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the Alaoji IPP, said collaboration between the public and private sectors was needed in driving sustainable development.
He expressed gratitude to Otti for his unwavering support and commitment to the project, adding that with the support of government the project would be completed on schedule.
Offor said that Abia would benefit immensely from the Alaoji IPP by way of uninterrupted power supply, employment opportunities, among others.
“This project is all about enhancing the power supply.The people of Abia will benefit enormously from the project. They are going to enjoy surplus power.
“You heard the Governor saying he wants part of this power to be sent to Umuahia directly. That is possible. The effects will trickle down to the people. The people of Abia State are going to enjoy,” the Chairman of Chrome Group stated.
