Aba Power Ltd, an affiliate of Geometric Power, is set to begin electricity distribution from one of its trio of turbines to the Aba Ring-fenced Area consumers ahead of schedule, launching operations this weekend, a full two weeks earlier than initially planned.
Originally, the firm had earmarked the commencement of power supply to business clients for 13 days post-commissioning. However, Prof. Bart Nnaji, the company’s chair and former Power Minister, has mandated that the engineering team ensure electricity is available to residents “without fail this weekend.”
The inauguration of the Geometric Power’s 188 Megawatt thermal plant, alongside the Aba Power division responsible for electricity distribution across nine of the 17 local government districts in Abia State, was carried out last Monday. The event was officiated by Vice President Kassim Shettima on behalf of President Bola Tinubu at the Osisioma Industrial Layout in Aba, Abia State, just a day after the facility’s first turbine was activated.
Inspectors from the National Control Centre (NCC) located in Oshogbo, Osun State, were slated to evaluate the Geometric Power site next week as part of the procedural requirements. However, plans have been advanced for their visit to occur this week, spurred by Prof. Nnaji’s extensive influence and connections, as per insiders.
The upcoming weekend will mark the commencement of one of Geometric Power’s turbines, manufactured by the U.S.-based General Electric, moving into commercial service. It is projected to generate 47MW of electricity, significantly surpassing the current 25MW supplied to the Aba Metropolis and surrounding areas by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) via the national grid. This was highlighted by Engineer Cliff Eneh, a Lagos-based energy consultant and former senior engineer at the now-defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), who has also worked with the Texas Power and Light Company in the United States.
Eneh further noted that the activation of the second turbine would boost the power supply to the Aba Ring-fenced Area to 94MW, adequately meeting the current energy demands of Aba and ensuring a stable electricity supply.
He emphasized the critical need for Nigeria to foster more generation and distribution companies equipped with modern facilities akin to Geometric Power, which stands out as an integrated electricity conglomerate with both generation and distribution branches.
Among the notable developments, Neimeth Pharmaceuticals Plc, headquartered in Lagos, has expressed plans to move their production facilities to Aba, in anticipation of the significant improvements in the city’s power supply.
At the launch of the Geometric Power facilities, Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu revealed that the Federal Government intends to closely monitor the performance of the Geometric Power group. The objective is to possibly adopt its operational model as a template for revitalizing the challenged Nigerian power sector.
