Ughelli (Delta) – The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in Ughelli, Delta on Thursday said that it would take adequate steps to improve gas supply to the integrated power plants in the country.

Mr Mutiu Sumonu, the Managing Director of Shell made this known at the Utorogu gas plant when the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, visited the plant.

The minister was on a facility tour of the Utorogu plant managed by the company.

Sumonu said that it was already keying into the Federal Government’s 12 months gas emergency plan meant to boost power generation in the country.

“We at Shell are committed to realising government’s gas emergency plan so as to boost gas supply in the country,’’ he said.

He said that the current average production of the plant stood at 250 million metric standard cubic feet.

According to him, a new plant will soon be completed as part of its expansion plan.

He, however, said that some of the challenges facing the company to include illegal bunkering, unrest from host communities and ageing equipment…

Sumonu restated the commitment of SPDC to its corporate responsibilities to host communities.

Earlier, Allison-Madueke expressed the Federal Government’s commitment to improve gas supply and to ensure power stability.

The minister charged multinational companies and stakeholders in the sector to join hands with the government in order to realise the gas to power mission.

The Utorogu plant was commissioned in 1989 with a cluster of 11 wells. (NAN)