Chika Amanze-Nwachuku and Ejiofor Alike
9 November 2009
Lagos — Barely one month to the December target date for attainment of the 6000mw electricity, power generation still hovers between 2, 200 and 2,800mw, THISDAY investigation has revealed.
But hopes for improved power supply in the country has been rekindled as Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), operator of the $1.3billion Afam V1 Power Station in Okoloma Community of Oyibo Local Government Area in Rivers State has said that the power plant will hit a generation capacity of 650megawatts of electricity by the first quarter of 2010.
THISDAY checks last weekend revealed that Egbin and AES power plants, with the capacity to generate 1130mw, still generate only 400mw due to inadequate gas. The 414 capacity Geregu Power station, it was revealed also generates only 100mw, while Omotosho, which can generate 304mw currently generates only 39mw due to gas constraints.
As at last week, the Olorunsogo gas plant was out of operation due to lack of gas supply.
While Omotosho's gas requirement was put at 92mmscf/d, Olorunsogun's gas need was put at 75mmscf/d to generate power to the national grid, sources said.
However, the Chief Press Secretary to the Minister of Power Mrs. Olubunmi Badejo, who confirmed last night that gas still remains the only challenge to the attainment of the December set target, put the current actual generation at 3,000mw. Speaking at the 2009 Ministerial Press briefing, Power Minister, Dr. Lanre Babalola had disclosed that Nigeria now has an available capacity to generate 5,000mw of electricity.
He raised hopes that the proposed 6000mw short-term goal was realisable as the sector already boasts of an installed generation capacity of 8,634mw.
Addressing journalists in Lagos on "The Afam Project Story", the Chief Engineer of Afam Power Plant, Mr. Ben Agbajogu, said the station was already generating 442 megawatts, adding that an additional 200megawatts will be added to the national grid from the steam turbines.
He disclosed that the station receives gas supply from the nearby 240 million standard cubic feet per day Okoloma Gas Plant.
Agbajogu revealed that out of the 240million Standard Cubic Feet per day, Afam VI takes 90 million standard cubic feet, while 120 million standard cubic feet is supposed to go to the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) to supply Afam I, II, III, and V.
The Chief Engineer further stated that the remaining 30 million standard cubic feet per day goes to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) for the running of Afam IV.
SPDC, as operator of the joint venture had since begun inauguration of the first turbine of the Afam VI Power Plant, the Okoloma Gas Plant and associated gas wells - collectively known as the Afam Gas and Power Project.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) has 55 percent stake in the joint venture, with Shell controlling 30 per cent, while the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), a subsidiary of Italy 's Eni and the French Oil major Total control 5 per cent and 10 percent, respectively.
The Okoloma Gas Plant started supply of gas on 11 October 2008, and inauguration of the second turbine of the Afam VI Power Plant was done in early November 2008.
Performance tests on the first gas turbine was finalised by early November 2008.
It is envisaged that when completed the project will provide gas equivalent of approximately 20 per cent of the current total domestic gas supply in the country.
In addition to supplying power to the grid and gas to the domestic market, the project is also procuring and installing transformers, concrete poles and conductors to provide electricity to local communities.
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