Akwa Ibom government and African Delta Power Limited have entered into a co-location power production pact to add additional 366 megawatts to the existing 191megawatts of the state-owned Ibom Power Plant located at Ikot Abasi Local Council of the state.
However, the gas turbine could generate up to 732Megawatts although Ibom Power would need to apply to the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) for licence expansion to cover the expanded license with as the current on-grid license stand at 685MW.
Signing the agreement on behalf of the State Government were the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Uko Udom, Chairman of Ibom Power, Engr. Etido Inyang and Secretary of the Company, Barr. Ime Asibong while Jemeriah Oluwaseun and Christabel Nwagum, CEO of African Delta and Secretary respectively,signed on behalf African Delta Power.
At the ceremony which held at the office of the Secretary to Akwa Ibom State Government and Chairman of the One-Stop Shop on Investment Committee, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, it was disclosed that the proposed power plant would be developed as part of the phase 2 of the IPP.
The SSG stated that the agreement was “not an MOU but rather it is a step further, which has transited the MOU phase” adding that the proposed power project is under the ‘Power for All’ initiative of Governor Udom Emmanuel, which was inaugurated about two years ago by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.
Ekuwem urged the investors to follow up the agreement by living up to the letters as enshrined in the terms of the contract.
On the implementation of the project, the One-Stop Shop on Investment Committee Chairman urged the African Delta Power team to speed up the processes and abide by the roadmap agreed to by government for the project.
Speaking on the development, the Chairman of Ibom Power Company Limited, Engr. Etido Inyang said the first phase of Ibom power is already operational with an installed capacity of 191megawatts adding that Ibom Power has a license to generate 685megawatts of power which the proposed power plant will leverage on.
“We have a delta of the remainder of the license that which is 685megawatts. They are coming in with their first phase of 366megawatts with plans to expand to 732megawatts which we will get an additional license to support.” Inyang said.
Giving further insights, the Board Chairman revealed that the Company had received many bids from several investors that had shown firm interest to partner Ibom Power for its Phase 2 but African Delta Power has proven to be ‘outstanding’.
‘Their technical partners have been supportive and we have seen the turbines that are coming in. We have seen that they have evidence of funding that will be deployed in the installation of these turbines and they are going to commence groundbreaking within the first week of June.” He stated.
On how the project would be implemented within the stipulated nine months period, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of African Delta Power, Jeremiah Oluwaseun said, most of the turbines and the systems have been prefabricated so they are ready to be deployed with their foreign technical partners from the United States.
‘Once a few other things are put in place, these equipments will be shipped in, in phases for onward installation here.” Oluwaseun.
He said that Akwa Ibom was selected for the project because the state had the prerequisites for the project saying that the state, “has the gas, a welcoming environment, good partners and a state government that is willing to go ahead with the project.”
