Oil & Energy
Egbin’ll Function To Installed Capacity After Repairs – CEO
The Chief Executive Officer
of Egbin Thermal Plant, Mr Mike Uzoigwe, says the repairs of its sixth turbine unit (ST-06), will add 220 Megawatts (MW) to the national grid.
Uzoigwe said this when he inspected the ongoing repairs of the turbine in Lagos recently.
According to him, the plant may have waved over, its installed capacity generation challenges barely seven years down the line.
He said the power plant, which had an installed capacity of 1,320 MW, had suffered setback for some years due to ageing parts and paucity of funds to upgrade the facility.
The Tide source, however, reports that the plant was generating about 700 MW before it experienced a system collapse.
Uzoigwe, who confirmed the system collapse, added that power would be restored in a short while due to its new black-starting mechanism.
“Before now, system collapse takes power plants in Nigeria about five days to restore electricity, but the black-starting technology would make it possible within hours.’’
Uzoigwe, who conducted journalists round the plant, expressed joy that the plant would be operating at full capacity after about seven years of partial operation.
He said the plant was constructed about 30-years ago to operate on six turbine units at 220 MW each, until 2006 when the sixth unit exploded due to some water tube challenges.
The chief executive officer said the contract for repair was awarded to the Original Equipment Manufacturer, Hitachi of Japan.
According to him, the company has spent so much money to secure some parts of the plant.
He said between 2011 and 2012, it ordered and replaced all the cannibalised spares and also awarded contract for the final repairs at approximately N1 billion.
“Unit six job will last for 90 days after which the unit should be handed over completely repaired and ready for operation.
“Work effectively started on July 1, 2013, and still going on. This will lay to rest the rumours that money meant for ST-06 repairs was diverted some times in the past,” he said.
He explained that the delay in commencing the job was because it did not get the nod of the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) early enough to award the contract.
This, he explained, was due to BPP’s exhaustive procedure of making sure the contract price was right.
“We have started anyway and it is hoped we will deliver on time. We are in the interim discovering everyday some other parts we need to replace.
“This will cost some more money and we will soon take it up with the Minister of Power to source for more funds,” he said.
Uzoigwe welcomed the privatisation exercise, adding that although the takeover of the assets would soon happen.
According to him, the management has a philosophy of continuation with all what it is suppose to be doing until the day the new investors takeover.
Reports say that works were ongoing at the plant as experts handling different parts of the turbine were seen laying some of the new parts strategically around the affected turbine.
Uzoigwe, who gave estimates of parts of the plant, accordingly, said repair of damaged boiler was awarded to KEPCO at 17.95 million dollars which was almost 100 per cent completed.
According to him, the dry storage part was awarded to Igodi at N9.8 million, while the emergency repairs of generator rotor and BFP motor rotors were awarded to Maurubeni at 6.79 million dollars.
He said the total replacement of the damaged reheater outlet coils and comprehensive inspection of reheater inlet coils were awarded to KEPCO at 4.94 million dollars and N74. 61 million, respectively.
He added that the supply of new AVR cubicle for thyristor excitation system was awarded to Marubeni at 117.9 million Yen, while the repair of LP turbine rotor journals was awarded to G.E at 1.52 million dollars.
According to Uzoigwe, all the listed parts are almost 100 per cent completed, except for the supply of cannibalised items which are at 80 per cent completion.
Nigeria’s losses due to crude oil theft has been said to be more significant than those of some other members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries(OPEC).
The Chairman, Senate Ad- hoc Committee on Crude Oil Theft, Senator Ned Nwoko, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.
Nwoko noted with dismay the detrimental impact of the issue, which, he said include economic damage, environmental destruction, and its impact on host communities.
According to him, the theft was not only weakening the Naira, but also depriving the nation of vital revenue needed for infrastructure, healthcare, education and social development.
The Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District described the scale of the theft as staggering, with reports indicating losses of over 200,000 barrels per day.
Nwoko disclosed that the ad hoc committee on Crude Oil Theft, which he chairs, recently had a two-day public hearing on the rampant theft of crude oil through illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalism, and the systemic gaps in the regulation and surveillance of the nation’s petroleum resources.
According to him, the public hearing was a pivotal step in addressing one of the most pressing challenges facing the nation.
‘’Nigeria loses billions of dollars annually to crude oil theft. This is severely undermining our economy, weakening the Naira and depriving the nation of vital revenue needed for infrastructure, healthcare, education, and social development.
‘’The scale of this theft is staggering, with reports indicating losses of over 200,000 barrels per day more than some OPEC member nations produce.
‘’This criminal enterprise fuels corruption, funds illegal activities and devastates our environment through spills and pollution.
‘’The public hearing was not just another talk shop; it was a decisive platform to uncover the root causes of crude oil theft, bunkering and pipeline vandalism.
‘’It was a platform to evaluate the effectiveness of existing surveillance, monitoring, and enforcement mechanisms; Identify regulatory and legislative gaps that enable these crimes to thrive.
‘’It was also to engage stakeholders, security agencies, host communities, oil companies, regulators, and experts to proffer actionable solutions; and strengthen legal frameworks to ensure stricter penalties and more efficient prosecution of offenders”, he said.
Nwoko noted that Nigeria’s survival depended
Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Ltd. (SNEPCo) has called on Nigerian companies to position themselves strategically to take full advantage of the growing opportunities in upcoming offshore and shallow water oil and gas projects.
The Managing Director, SNEPCO, Ronald Adams, made the call at the 5th Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair (NOGOF) Conference, held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, last Thursday.
Adams highlighted the major projects, including Bonga Southwest Aparo, Bonga North, and the Bonga Main Life Extension, as key areas where Nigerian businesses can grow their capacity and increase their involvement.
“Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Ltd. (SNEPCo) says Nigerian companies have a lot to benefit if they are prepared to take advantage of more opportunities in its offshore and shallow water oil and gas projects.
“Projects such as Bonga Southwest Aparo, Bonga North and Bonga Main Life Extension could grow Nigerian businesses and improve their expertise if they applied themselves seriously to executing higher value contracts”, Adams stated.
Adams noted that SNEPCo pioneered Nigeria’s deepwater oil exploration with the Bonga development and has since played a key role in growing local industry capacity.
He emphasized that Nigerian businesses could expand in key areas like logistics, drilling, and the construction of vital equipment such as subsea systems, mooring units, and gas processing facilities.
The SNEPCO boss explained that since production began at the Bonga field in 2005, SNEPCo has worked closely with Nigerian contractors to build systems and develop a skilled workforce capable of delivering projects safely, on time, and within budget both in Nigeria and across West Africa.
According to him, this long-term support has enabled local firms to take on key roles in managing the Bonga Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, which reached a major milestone by producing its one-billion barrel of oil on February 3, 2023.
The Emohua Local Government Area Administrator, Franklin Ajinwo, has pledged to improve electricity distribution in Oduoha Ogbakiri and its environs.
Ajinwo made the pledge recently while playing host in a courtesy visit to the Oduoha Ogbakiri Wezina Council of Chiefs, in his office in Rumuakunde.
He stated that arrangements are underway to enhance available power, reduce frequent outages, and promote steady electricity supply.
The move, he said, was aimed at boosting small and medium-scale businesses in the area.
“The essence of power is not just to have light at night. It’s for those who can use it to enhance their businesses”, he said.
The Administrator, who commended the peaceful nature of Ogbakiri people, urged the Chiefs to continue in promoting peace and stability, saying “meaningful development can only thrive in a peaceful environment”.
He also charged the Chiefs to protect existing infrastructure while promising to address the challenges faced by the community.
Earlier, the Oduoha Ogbakiri Wezina Council of Chiefs, led by HRH Eze Goodluck Mekwa Eleni Ekenta XV, expressed gratitude to the Administrator over his appointment and pledged their support to his administration.
The chiefs highlighted challenges facing the community to include incessant power outage, need for new transformers, and the completion of Community Secondary School, Oduoha.
The visit underscored the community’s expectations from the LGA administration.
With Ajinwo’s assurance of enhancing electricity distribution and promoting development, the people of Oduoha Ogbakiri said they look forward to a brighter future.
By: King Onunwor