Aba Blackout Ends This Week As Critical Gas Component Arrives Nigeria

Power supply to the Aba Ring-fenced Area in Abia State is expected to be restored this week following the arrival in Nigeria of a critical gas infrastructure component required to resume operations at the 188-megawatt Geometric Power Plant.

The assurance was given by the Chairman of Aba Power and former Minister of Power, Prof. Bart Nnaji, during a visit by members of the Abia State House of Assembly Committee on Power and Public Utilities.

The Aba Ring-fenced Area, which covers nine of Abia State’s 17 local government areas, has experienced a blackout since last Thursday after Heirs Energies, the operator of Oil Mining Lease (OML) 17 and gas supplier to the Geometric Power Plant, announced the failure of the Clutch Gear and Starter Motor at its Associated Gas Gathering (AGG) Plant in Obigbo, Rivers State.

According to the company, the component failed due to old age. The AGG facilities, inherited from the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), were built between 50 and 60 years ago, with several of their components no longer readily available.

Nnaji disclosed that Heirs Energies worked round the clock to source the replacement Clutch Gear and Starter Motor from the United States and flew it into the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos for customs clearance.

He explained that although Geometric Power offered to airlift the equipment to Port Harcourt because of the urgency, Heirs Energies opted to transport it by road at its own expense due to the absence of cargo flight services between Lagos and Port Harcourt.

Speaking during the visit, the Chairman of the House Committee on Power and Public Utilities, Hon. Aaron Uzodike, accompanied by committee member Stephen Akachukwu Ucheonye, said residents had become concerned by the prolonged outage after enjoying two years of stable electricity supply.

Nnaji apologised to businesses and residents affected by the disruption and urged the federal government to tackle persistent gas supply challenges in the power sector.

“Seventy-three per cent of Nigeria’s electricity comes from gas-fired power plants. Nigeria cannot be among the six countries with the largest natural gas reserves in the world and still experience recurring gas-related crises,” he said.

Uzodike commended Nnaji for his commitment to resolving the gas supply challenge, not only for Geometric Power but also for other thermal power plants across the country.

“Our people in Aba and elsewhere are surprised that the efficient and reliable power we have been enjoying should suffer a severe crisis of this nature. They mandated us to ascertain the true situation and determine how the House of Assembly, the Abia State Government and the people can assist,” he said.

The lawmakers pledged to present their findings to the Abia State House of Assembly and brief residents on the outcome of their fact-finding mission.