Power: FG set to establish first gas plant in Borno – GMD NNPC
The Federal government of Nigeria has today announced plans to establish a gas plant that will provide electricity to Maiduguri, the Borno state capital and its environs.
The dedicated gas plant is expected to address the ongoing power challenges the state is facing following the recent attacks on the power installations by suspected members of the armed opposition group.
This was disclosed today by the Group Managing Director of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari, in Maiduguri when he led the management team of the corporation on an official courtesy visit to the state governor, Babagana Zulum.
Maiduguri and its neighbouring communities have in the last two months been plunged into perpetual darkness following insurgents’ repeated attacks on power lines linking the state with the national grid
The city of Maiduguri has continued to broaden under an unfavourable business atmosphere with small and medium scale businesses folding up, while prices of services and commodities keep skyrocketing.
Mr Mele said NNPC and its partners “in the gas supply value chain have concluded plans to set up a gas plant to serve the energy needs of people of Maiduguri and other neighbouring states.
The Group Managing Director said further that “the Corporation will leverage on existing power infrastructure to deliver the plant in the next four months.”
“We are seeing a very short time frame and we think that between three and four months we should be able to put up a power plant in this town that will serve Borno.
“And I have the confidence of all of us, the gas suppliers, the potential supplier of the power plant itself and also the distribution company to make sure this thing works. We are counting on your help and support to make sure we deliver”.
Mr Kyari clarified that “the project is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s cardinal principle of deepening gas consumption in the domestic market across the country.
Borno state Governor Babagana Zulum thanked the NNPC and its subsidiaries “for always identifying with the state during trying moments.”
He reiterated the importance of sustainable energy as “critical to addressing insurgency and other criminal activity in the region.”
The Governor promised to provide all the needed support and partnership to ensure the actualisation of the proposed power project.
