Vice President Kashim Shettima Monday commissioned the Aba Geometric Power Plant firing first of its four power generating turbines to generate 188 MW at peak performance.
Shettima in a brief speech praised the commitment of Prof Barth Nnaji, former Minister of Power whose company midwifed the project. “This project is a testimony to the power of possibilities,” he said.
The power plant is creating excitement in Aba industrial city as residents look forward to its huge impact on the economy Abia State.
At a media interaction earlier, Professor Nnaji said the Aba Ring-fenced area would be fed with 47 megawatts of electricity almost double its present supply of 25 megawatts. The ultimate goal is to provide 24-hour steady power supply to the nine local governments that make up the Aba Ring-fenced area, he disclosed, adding that his firm has invested over $800 million in what is Nigeria’s first fully integrated power project.
The Geometric Power Group is licensed to generate and distribute electricity through both Geometric Power Aba Ltd and Aba Power Electric Company Ltd.
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Nnaji explained that the four turbines with total capacity of 188MW would be inaugurated in phases until the full capacity is attained while the excess power would eventually be offloaded to the national grid as Aba and its environs would not be expected to consume as much as 100MW.
“This project is on track to deliver reliable electricity. It is not going to be immediate but the commissioning will trigger it,” he assured Abian even as he promised that by the time the second turbine comes on stream at 94MW, the Aba Ring-fenced area would start experiencing the much-expected uninterrupted power supply.
He stated that the thermal plant would be fired with gas from Owaza field in Ukwa West Local Government of Abia, noting that Geometric has spent over $50 million on gas pipeline to ensure a steady supply of gas from source to the plant.
Abia State Governor, Alex Otti reiterated government’s commitment to fulfil the promise to partner with relevant stakeholders to drive the economy of Abia, describing as laudable the tenacity of Geometric Power in making the Aba integrated power project a reality.
“If you want to drive industrialisation without power, you can’t go anywhere,” he said, adding that Abians are excited about the huge economic prospects of the project.
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