The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) will generate about 4, 000 megawatts (Mw) of electricity over the next 10 years to boost power supply in the country.

Its Corporation’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Gas and Power, Engr. Saidu Mohammed, who spoke at the 2017 retreat of the Autonomous Business Unit (ABU), Gas and Power, in Kaduna, said this would be achieved through building independent power plants.

Mohammed said the power plants would be built between the next three and 10 years by incorporated joint venture companies that would involve NNPC, international power companies and other local Iniestors to be structured after the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) business model.

“Power generation is a big business. As at today, NNPC has interest in two power plants, one in Okpai, Delta State and the other in Afam, Rivers State, which were respectively built by our Joint Ventures with Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), and Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC). These two power plants collectively generate up to 1,000Mw and they are the most reliable and cheapest source of power to the national grid in Nigeria today,”  Mohammed was quoted to have said in a statement.

He said plans were underway to commence Okpai Phase 2 Power Plant and that other JV power plants such as Obite & Agura would also be progressed soon to boost power generation in the country.


 
The NNPC COO noted that the new thinking involved the extension of the Corporation’s major gas pipeline infrastructure into a robust network to connect various parts of the country, adding that implementation of the Ajaokuta to Abuja-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) extension has progressed.

Mohammed said: “The main base-loads to justify such infrastructure are power plants that would consume the gas and for that, we are planning to build about 2,000 to 3,100 megawatts, combined, in these three cities.

“The partnership will involve players who will bring in their various capacities as operators, builders of power plants and as investors. NNPC will also bring its strength of being a dominant player in the Nigerian gas value chain.”