14 Hours Power Supply in Akwa Ibom State

 By Emmanuel Nicholas

 Adequate supply of reliable electricity power is essential to economic development, and the  Ibom Power Plant (IPP) has the potential to fill this critical need in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way. In addition to the economic benefits of constructing and operating the power plant, there are important opportunities for communities and states to establish themselves as key global supply chain elements of components and sub-systems for the many power plants that will end up being built internationally to help meet growing energy needs.

Ibom Power Plant, now working

As evidently noticeable, access to clean modern energy services has constituted an enormous challenge to the African continent because energy is fundamental for socio-economic development and poverty eradication. Today, 60 to 70 per cent of the Nigerian population does not have access to electricity. There is no doubt that the present power crisis afflicting Nigeria will persist unless the government diversifies the energy sources in domestic, commercial and industrial sectors and adopt new available technologies to reduce energy wastages, which will also help to save cost.

 

In Akwa Ibom State, Governor Akpabio as a prudent leader knew that without gas supply to the Ibom Power Plant the project will be a monument of no value. He also knew that his industrial process will be a fluke without improved power supply. Over one hundred industries that have folded up in Nigeria did so as a result of non or epileptic power supply. They were rendered bankrupt by poor power supply. Chief Akpabio,CON, investment in gas plant, pulling together Seven Energy and Frontier Oil to bring this dream to reality is therefore worthy of commendation.

 Seven-Energy-logo in a joint venture partnership between two indigenous Nigerian independent oil and gas companies  is a significant boost to Nigeria’s gas-to-power aspirations. Frontier Limited and Seven Energy International Limited have brought on stream a new gas facility capable of generating 1,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity, which was commissioned recently by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. The N90 billion Uquo gas processing facility, in Esit Ekit, Akwa Ibom State, is one of the biggest projects of its nature undertaken by independent indigenous partners in sub-Saharan Africa.

 First commercial gas deliveries from the facility commenced in early 2014 to the 190MW Ibom Power Station. And this has brought the power generation in the State to about 14 hours daily. But places like Ikot Abasi and Eket have more hours than others and theirs is stipulated at 18 hours daily. The Uquo gas facility is expected to start supplying 131 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) of gas to the 560MW Calabar NIPP power station in the fourth quarter of the year.

 Speaking at the commissioning, President Jonathan commended Seven Energy and Frontier Oil Limited for the project and the impact it will have on Nigeria’s aspiration for sustainable power supply.

“We are happy with what we have seen today. Seven Energy and Frontier Oil deserve commendation for combining their individual capacities to deliver this project which will have multiplier effects on the economy such as increasing national power output, employment opportunities for the host communities and Nigerians and additional revenue for both the Federal Government and Akwa Ibom State,” Jonathan said.

Philip Ihenacho, Chief Executive Officer of Seven Energy, the JV partner that provided the technical services and 100 percent of the funding for the gas facility said the Uquo Gas Project is a reflection of the company’s unique focus on the emerging Nigerian domestic gas market, adding that Nigeria has immense gas potential which remains untapped both for power generation and industrial use. “This plant today just with the two trains that have been installed here can do over 200 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (mmscfd). 200mmscfd can power almost 1,000MW of power.

 So as well as Ibom Power, we are now building a pipeline which is almost completed to Calabar NIPP. So with these two trains, we will be able to power both Ibom Power as well as all of the gas need for Calabar NIPP for the next 20 years,” he said.

According to Ihenacho, the facility would be expanded as they get more customers and are able to access more gas in the area. “The investment we have made as Seven Energy to date has been approximately N90 billion (over $600 million”, he said. “It is one of the best gas plants in Nigeria. This is the biggest of such a project in sub-Saharan Africa and we are very proud of it,” said Dada Thomas, Managing Director of the operators of the project, Frontier Oil.

 Noting that Akwa Ibom State is enjoying steady electricity supply in Nigeria as gas is being supplied to Ibom Power Plant and generating about 100MW, he asked rhetorically: “What is the impact of that? It means that the hairdresser can do her hairdressing. It means that the welder can do his welding. It means that the factory can carry on production. ”The power plant is located at Ikot Abasi, the industrial hub of Akwa Ibom State. The power plant is a distinct apprehended project to deliver an incessant power supply in Akwa Ibom State, with an excess to be fed into the national grid.

 At the inception of this administration, only 1,210 out of a total number of 2,671 villages/communities were linked to the national grid. However, 45 months into the tenure of Chief Godswill Akpabio as Governor, more than 2069 communities/villages have been provided with electricity through rural electrification projects under the Inter-Ministerial Direct Labour projects. Another 2500 transformers have been procured by the State government. The Ibom Power Plant  is working , every community in the State is  energized and the entire Akwa Ibom State is rosy not just because of electricity supply per se but also with diverse power-dependent economic activities that  provide 5000 indirect employment opportunities, in addition to the 2000 direct employment opportunities.

And today more than 90 percent of rural communities is linked to the National grid.  The introduction of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Power, Dr. Victor Udo also is added advantage as his expertise has served to stabilize the power generation and always bring rapid solution to energy related crises within and outside the State. His appointment is one of the many appointments the prudent Governor has made which has brought the increase power generation to bear.

Dr Victor Udo in one of his press briefing explained that with a generation capacity of 191MW, Ibom Power Plant is capable of meeting the state’s electricity demands”

 He explained further that “Ibom power plant has 3 units; one unit has a generation capacity of 115MW while the other 2 units have generation capacity of 38MW each”.  He said “efforts are being made to ensure that Ibom Power Plant generates at  full capacity” which will provide the State the opportunity to enjoy 24 hours power supply .   The vision of Governor Godswill Akpabio for uninterrupted power supply in Akwa Ibom state will become a reality within the shortest possible time". This statement was also made by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Power, Dr. Victor Udo who mentioned three major developments in Akwa Ibom Power sector to assert his statement and that has brought about the increased power supply.

 He said "the completion of a gas infrastructure in Esit Eket, upgrade of the Eket-Uyo-Itu 132KV transmission lines and the restoration of Ibom power plant Unit 3 are the reasons His Excellency's vision will soon be accomplished".   Speaking further he explained that "under the leadership of the new board appointed by His Excellency, General Electric has completed the general combustion inspection of Ibom power plant and the plant is running, that is why there has been improved power supply in Akwa Ibom state in the last few months".

 Dr. Udo said the "power generated by Ibom Power Plant is not only consumed by Akwa Ibom people but also by Nigerians as a whole through the National grid". He seized the opportunity to appeal to Akwa Ibom people not to allow anybody vandalize the power infrastructure in their community. The Business Managers in the three Business Units of PHD of Akwa Ibom state have confirmed the improvement in Power supply.

  Engr. Uduma Okala, the Business Manager at Uyo Business Unit, said that "there has been a significant improvement in power supply because Ibom Power Plant is on", while Engr. Kelly Effiong and Engr. Uzoma Mbuko, Business Managers in Eket and Ikot Ekpene Business Units respectively, also confirmed the improvement in their units.

A factory  owner in Uyo said "we  now have more than 14 hours power  and the supply of the power has been continuous" while  Mercy Edem a resident of  Eket said "power supply is almost 24 hours of the Day”.