. Announce Collaboration to sustain supply flow

. As Egbin hits 970MW, 2021 peak generation

By Sebastine Obasi

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Egbin Power Plant on Monday entered into a partnership aimed at deepening gas supply for power.

The Chief Operating Officer (COO), Gas and Power, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr Yusuf Usman, who announced this when he led the NNPC’s team on a facility tour of the plant in Lagos, maintained that the NNPC, which he said was committed to gas utilisation, is  impressed with the turnaround at the thermal power station, which is the biggest in Sub Sahara Africa.

“The visit has been an eye opener for me,” Usman said, adding; “We have seen turbines that have been running for over 40 years. We have seen efforts being made by Egbin management to effect a turnaround at the plant through overhaul of the entire system.

“We have also seen the support you have been given to the youths through employment and capacity development opportunities.

“I have listened to the concerns your raised, particularly, in the area of transmission restrictions. I am aware that works are ongoing in this regard to ensure that all the power we generate is safely evacuated.

“An area of concern to me is when you talked about the gas constraints. We are going to support you to make sure that the power supply is steady. We are having a session with gas suppliers in this regard.”

This came as Egbin Power declared plan to add additional 1,900 mega watts to Nigeria’s Power generation pool.

Chairman of the company, Temitope Shonubi stated this while briefing Mr Yusuf Usman, on the plans laid out for expansion by the Egbin plant in Lagos.

Declaring plans for the Egbin (Expansion) Phase 2  Investments, Sonubi maintained that the expansion would add between 1,750MW  and 1900MW to the Nigeria’s power generation.

Taking his visitors through the post privatization journey by the thermal plant, the helmsman maintained that the plant has gone through major overhauling, which has helped to increase its generation from the low capacity it had before 2013.

“Egbin has 1,320 MW capacity. As at the time we took over, the plant was generating 300MW which is an abysmal 22 per cent.

“As at today, our generation capacity has surged and we do 89 per cent.

“We have reached 970 MW, the peak generation for the year and we are working hard to ensure sustainability of this feat. The 970MW we hit is the highest for the year and based on our core value of sustainability, we are working round the clock to make sure that we sustain the gains, which we have made.”

Listing challenges being faced by the company to include, grid limitation, gas constraints, and liquidity, Sonubi added that stakeholders including the NNPC, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) have been working tirelessly and collaboratively to solve the issues.

He called on NNPC to keep exerting efforts towards gas development and supply of the product to keep turbines at Egbin working productively at optimal capacity.

COO Gas and Power, NNPC Mr Yusuf Usman, in a reaction promised the NNPC commitment towards gas optimization and supply for gas to power.