Urgent action has been requested by the House of Representatives from Vice President Kashim Shettima to convene an emergency meeting aimed at reviving the Gbarain Power Plant in Bayelsa State. The revitalization of this plant is crucial for enhancing the efficiency of the national grid.
Vice President Shettima, who also serves as the Chairman of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) Board, is being called upon for this important meeting.
This decision by the House stems from a motion put forward during the plenary session on Thursday by Hon. Oboku Oforji.
Additionally, the House has summoned the Managing Director of NDPHC, Mr. Joseph Ugbo, to appear before the Committee on Power to provide insights into the current state of the Gbarain Power Plant.
Highlighting the significance of the Gbarain Power Plant, Oforji mentioned that it is an open cycle gas turbine power plant designed to potentially transition into a combined cycle gas turbine configuration in the future.
The location of the plant is in Koroama, Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State, and it functions as an operational power station with a capacity of at least 252 megawatts.
It was recalled that a fire incident led to the loss of the Power Control Module of the Gbarain Power Plant under the auspices of the NDPHC.
Oforji emphasized that due to the significant impact on Bayelsa State, the State Government has offered to assume certain responsibilities of the NDPHC. This is particularly crucial as the Niger Delta University, a state-owned institution, depends on the power supply from this station.
Furthermore, the State Government has taken steps towards rehabilitating and restoring power supply through the installation of a 60MVA,132/33KV power transformer. This transformer currently supplies power to the Gbarain Power Station auxiliaries and the surrounding communities through a 2×15 MVA33/11KV injection substation, which was previously non-operational.
Oforji expressed disappointment at the current plans of the NDPHC management, stating that despite the initial investment of $400 million in the Gbarain Power Plant, valued at over $800 million today, there is a proposal to treat the 252MW Open Cycle Power station as a construction site. This action neglects the primary responsibility of operating the plant to benefit the state, the Niger Delta, and the nation as a whole.
He raised concerns about the competency of NDPHC in managing the power plant, which has the potential to become the largest station in the nation due to its strategic location in proximity to gas resources. Oforji highlighted the transformative impact that the Gbarain Power Station, if optimized, could have on powering the entire Niger Delta region and beyond.
Moreover, it was pointed out that the Shell Petroleum Development Company has allocated over 60MMsc of gas to the plant, which remains unused due to operational challenges faced by the company.