By Festus Ahon

ASABA—Delta State Government, yesterday said it had setup a three-man panel to probe the over N23,207, 826, 566 billion Independent Power Plant, IPP, project in Oghara, Ethiope West Local Government Area of the state.

State Commissioner for Energy, Mr Newworld Safugha, who made the disclosure during the on-going ministerial press briefing, explained that the contract was first awarded in 2009 for N21,760,000 billion with installed capacity of 115mw, phase three gas turbine.

Saying that the contract which was awarded to a company (names withheld) suspected to be owned by a prominent politician in the state by the previous administration, Safugha said the contract was varied in 2010 to N23,207, 826, 566, following the review of the installed capacity from 115mw to 128 mw on phase 4 gas turbine.

Gov Ifeanyi Okowa

He listed the members of the three-man committee to include himself and his counterparts in the Ministry of Justice, Mr. Peter Mrakpor and Ministry of Finance, Mr. David Edevwie.

Speaking further, he said the state government had signed a number of Memoranda of  Understanding, MoUs with foreign investors toward generating sustainable power in the state.

He named the companies to include, Luxra Nigeria Limited, a British-based investor, the Yutai-Li Nigeria Limited, a China-based investor and Bastanchury Power Solutions Limited, adding that Luxra was expected to generate 300 megawatts of electricity from Solar PV Plants in the state.

While saying that Yutai-Li would construct 100 megawatts of Solar PV Plant at Otolokpo/Umunede in Ika North East Local Government Area, the commissioner said Bastanchury  would develop 8.5 megawatts Gas-Turbine in Asaba Integrated  Power Project to provide electricity power to all government  offices, residential quarters and facilities in the state.