Akwa Ibom gets licence for expanded 685MW Ibom plant

Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) on Thursday issued an expanded licence to Ibom Power Plant to expand its generation capacity from present 190Mega Watt to 685mw.

The power plant which is wholly owned by Akwa Ibom State has been generating and transmitting power into the national grid from its three gas turbines: GT-1 which generates 39mw; GT-2-41mw and GT-3-126mw from 2009.

Receiving the licence on behalf of the company in Abuja, Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Emmanuel Udom said the state has invested heavily in power generation and transmission in the past few years because of the impact the power sector has on economic development.

Udom said the state has invested about $22 million in improving power transmission infrastructure in the state, and plans to apply for embedded power system to supply power to planned industrial estates in the state.

He noted that the state had begun the process to expand the plant in 2014, adding that the potentials in the expansion was realised from the existing 190mw which it currently generates.

"I want to start by saying thank you to NERC for this partnership. I don't want to sound as if I am trying to flatter them but believe me if all government agencies are adopting this business approach to achieving results, speed, efficiency and delivery will be much more exciting than we use to have in the past.

"I really thank them. We have been working hard in these past years and it has been a good partnership. When I come here to seek approval, I can hardly differentiate between it and a private entity", Udom said.

He stated further: "As at today the state government spent about $22million on transmission lines. But the TCN should also try to upgrade because there is no point producing 685mw and you cannot evacuate".

Earlier, NERC Chairman, Dr. Sam Amadi stated that the expanded licence to the plant was based on its fulfillment of the regulatory requirements demanded of it.

He said: "Out of our 4800MW daily generation, we can credit Akwa Ibom State with 190MW and that is significant. We have very strict procedure for licencing and if we are sitting here with the governor today to sign and present their license that is indicative that the government of Akwa Ibom has scrupulously followed the procedure and they have been certified worthy and able to increase their capacity from 190MW to a whooping 685MW. That is not easy", he explained

The plant according to its Managing Director, Victor Udo, has a pre-designed generation capacity of 685MW, which the government has approached the NERC for an expanded license to develop.

Connected to the national grid through the 46 kilometer 132kV double circuit transmission line that runs from Ikot Abasi to Eket, the plant hooks up with an associated sub-station in Ikot Abasi which steps down its power to flow into both 33kV and 11kV distribution lines for onward distribution to local industrial and private consumers.

It is reported that this line also has the capacity to transmit up to 200MW of power and as well enough to evacuate the amount of electricity generated from the plants first phase of 190MW before new upgrades are done ahead for the evacuation of the 685MW phase two.

Also, natural gas feedstock to the plant is gotten from Septa Energy's integrated gas receiving facility which reportedly feeds the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPPs) Odukpani and Alaoji power plants, as well as other commercial end users along the supply route.