Nation
Gwagwalada Gas Power Plant To Add 5GW To National Grid-NNPCL
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) says the Gwagwalada Independent Power Plant (GIPP) project is a giant step toward achieving its gas and power mandate to add five Gigawatts into the National power generation by 2024.
Group CEO, NNPC Ltd., Malam Mele Kyari, made this known on Friday in Gwagwalada, Abuja, at the presidential groundbreaking of the 350 Megawatts (MW) Gwagwalada Independent Power Plant (GIPP) project.
The Tide source reports that the groundbreaking was performed by President Bola Tinubu in the company of other top government dignitaries.
The gas plant is a 1,350MW Combined Cycle Power Plant with auxiliaries and Balance of Plant to be situated on 547 hectares of land already acquired at Gwagwalada, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The GIPP was necessitated by the need for delivering gas toward additional power generation capacity in Nigeria.
The gas supply to the plant shall be through the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline which is currently at its advanced stage of construction.
On completion, the GIPP Project will generate an average of 10.3 million Megawatts hour (MWh) of electricity per year for sale to the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET).
Kyari said the 350MW project was the first phase of the planned capacity of 1,350MW Gwagwalada Independent Power Plant.
According to him, Nigeria is endowed with significant natural gas resources of over 209TCF of proven gas reserves, and potential reserve of over 600TCF.
He said as a commercial enterprise, NNPC took the project as an opportunity to monetise Nigeria’s abundant natural gas resources, by expanding access to energy to support economic growth, industrialisation, and job creation nationwide.
To achieve this national aspiration, he said, the NNPC had invested heavily in domestic gas footprint expansion projects through the delivery of the Trans-Nigeria Pipeline Project.
This, he said, included the Escravos to Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS & ELPS Il), the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (0B3) gas pipeline and the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline.
“Currently NNPC and partners are delivering about 800MW to the national grid from Afam VI and Okpai Phase One thermal power plants with combined installed capacity of 1,100MW.
“We have also completed Okpai Phase Two project that will add up to 320MW of power to the national grid and progressing with other power plant projects across the country including those along the AKK pipeline route.
“The Gwagwalada IPP is among the NNPC flagship power projects along the AKK corridor. This is part of the 3,600MW cumulative power capacity which includes Kaduna IPP (900MW) and Kano IPP (1,350MW)”, he said.
He said the project would be delivered in collaboration with General Electric as the Original Equipment Manufacturer and China Machinery and Engineering Corporation as the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) Contractor.
He said just as NNPC had recently inaugurated the 50MW Maiduguri Emergency Power plant, it would continue to replicate similar viable business opportunities across the Nation to ensure energy affordability.
He, however, aknowledged the support of stakeholders including the Ministry of Power, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc , Transmission Company of Nigeria, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company and Gwagwalada host community.
He assured that expanding access to energy would change the game, create a better investment climate and promote balanced economic growth, a win-win situation for the nation and for NNPC as a commercial energy company.
Kyari also acknowledged the progressive policy direction of Tinubu’s led administration to renew hope and reposition the Nigerian economy.
“The esteemed presence of Your Excellency at this event is a demonstration of your commitment and support to improve the nation’s power generation capacity to spur economic growth for our country, and for this, we are indeed grateful”, he said.
The Chairman of the Osun State Park Management System (OSTMS), Comrade Nurudeen Iyanda Alowonle, was reportedly shot by officers of the state police command in the late hours of Monday.
The union, in a statement issued by its Secretary, Mikaela Popoola, in Osogbo, confirmed that its chairman was arrested over domestic issues and taken into police custody.
According to him, the shooting of the chairman occurred while in police custody, and the circumstances surrounding the shooting call for a thorough investigation.
The union scribe, who reiterated that the chairman was arrested over domestic issues and taken into police custody, called on members of OSTMS not to take the law into their own hands.
He stressed, “We must maintain peace across the parks while we take the matter up with the appropriate authorities.”
While confirming the shooting, a top Police officer, who preferred to remain anonymous, said, “Alowonle was arrested in connection with the alleged killing of one Oyewale in 2022 and the assault of some residents on Monday night.
“He was shot while attempting to escape and has been taken to a hospital for treatment.”
According to him, Alowonle was maimed by the police gunshot, and a Hummer bus with registration number AWK 480YD, an unregistered Nissan Almera, and a Toyota Sienna with registration number GNN 595 XD were also recovered from him.
“During the arrest, a Barrett pistol, six rounds of 9mm live ammunition, and one expended empty shell were recovered from Alowonle’s private unregistered Toyota Highlander jeep,” the officer said.
“Alowonle and his boys conveyed themselves in a Previn bus with registration number RBC 275XK, but a distress call to the police led to his arrest. He was rearrested at Susi area of Oke-Baale, Osogbo, alongside eight others before being taken to the state police command.”
Meanwhile, all possible efforts made to reach the spokesperson for the state Police Command, Mrs Yemisi Opalola, for comment on the incident proved abortive as calls put to her mobile phone were not answered.
The Rivers State Police Command has announced that its operatives neutralised a suspected kidnapper and cultist, identified as Gbarani Bume, in the Luawii Community of Khana Local Government Area (LGA).
Bume, also known as Pelele, was a member of the infamous Iceland cult group, which has been terrorising the Beree/Tabaa axis of Khana LGA along with his gang.
Spokesperson for the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
Iringe-Koko said that Pelele and his gang attempted to kidnap a site engineer working in Luawii when the police, acting on a tip-off, swooped in. Upon sighting the police, the suspects opened fire, but Pelele was fatally wounded after a fierce exchange of gunfire and later died.
The statement reads: “The Rivers State Police Command has made a significant breakthrough in its efforts to combat crime, neutralising a notorious cultist and kidnapper, Gbarani Bume, a.k.a. Pelele, a native of Bere Community in Khana LGA.
“He was a member of the Iceland Cult Group, which has been terrorising the Beree/Tabaa axis of Khana LGA.
“On the 15th of November 2024, operatives from the Bori Division, acting on a tip-off, were mobilised to Luawii Community where Pelele and his gang were attempting to kidnap a site engineer.
“Upon sighting the operatives, the hoodlums opened fire, resulting in a fierce crossfire, during which Pelele was fatally wounded. His accomplices escaped with various degrees of bullet wounds.
“Items recovered from the suspect include one AK-47 rifle, two magazines, and 10 rounds of live ammunition.”
She added, “An investigation is ongoing, and efforts are being intensified to apprehend the other fleeing gang members and bring them to justice.”
The state police spokesperson stated that this operation underscores the Command’s commitment to tackling crime and ensuring public safety in the state.
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