The management of Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC), owners of the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) has refuted some online reports (including PM News of 23/2/15) that the newly commissioned 750MW NIPP Olorunsogo ll Power Plants was commissioned by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The company said in a statement issued by its General Manager, Communication and Public Relations, Mr. Yakubu Lawal, and made available to newsmen in Lagos.
Lawal said that the completion and commissioning of the phase II Olorunsogo plant was another manifestation of President Goodluck Jonathan’s commitment to deliver on his promise to complete inherited projects.
The General Manager said that the phase II is a combined circle plant consisting of 4No GE made Gas turbines, 4No Heat Recovery Steam Generators and 2No Steam turbine units, each turbine unit of 125MW capacity. The power plant, thus, has the capacity to generate 750 MW, a positive development over the phase I plant commissioned by Obasanjo regime which has 8 turbine units each of 42MW with a total of 335MW. While the Olorunsogo II project was built by the NIPP (as a joint investment of the three tiers of governments of Nigeria) the Olorunsogo I project was basically an FGN project. Both of the projects were built by SEPCO III of China under distinct and separate contracts. The two power plants sit adjacent to one another but on defined and distinct survey coordinates. They can be accessed by any investigative journalist or indeed any inquisitive person seeking accurate unbiased information at any time.
Lawal stated that the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) was conceived in 2004 by President Obasanjo as a major fast-track initiative to add significant new capacities in generation, transmission and distribution to Nigeria’s electricity supply chain but that Jonathan’s commitment first as the steering Chairman of NIPP and later pioneering Chairman, Board of Directors of NDPHC actually gave life to the success stories of today. The efforts of the two leaders (one former and the latter current) should be complimented rather than used as a basis to cause unnecessary debates with the intention to cause disrepute and undue rancour. The NIPP will not be used as a tool for such deceit.
According to him, the commissioning of Olorunsogo ll power plant will increase megawatt available to the national grid and further enhance the gradually improving power supply situation in the country.