NDPHC Completes Maintenance of  Geregu Plant, Restores 450MW to National Grid

•Begins work to recover 225MW Gbarain plant in Bayelsa

•Commences construction of 7.5MVA injection substation in Umuahia

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) yesterday announced that it has successfully restored additional 450MW generation capacity to the national grid, following the completion of scheduled maintenance on the Geregu National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) plant.

The four-week extended minor inspection, undertaken by Siemens Energy, was executed to enhance the facility’s operational reliability, performance, and efficiency, thereby extending the plant’s Equivalent Operating Hours (EOH) and operational life span, a statement by the Head, Corporate Communications and External Relations, Emmanuel Ojor, said.

Managing Director and Chief Executive of the NDPHC, Jennifer Adighije, confirmed that in the last one year the company has recovered six previously dormant gas turbines across the NDPHC fleet of gas turbines.

These, she said, include GT4 at the Calabar NIPP, GT1 at Omotosho II, GT1 and GT2 at Benin NIPP, GT4 at Sapele NIPP, and currently GT3 and GT4 at Alaoji NIPP on standby for pre-commissioning after gas supply remedial works.

According to her, these restored units collectively would have a cumulative 875MW additional capacity to NDPHC’s mechanical available generation, adding significant boost to national power generation capacity.

Adighije further announced the commencement of restoration works on the 225MW Gbarain NIPP plant, which has been out of service since 2020, describing it as a major step toward recovering dormant national power in a bid to commercialise the output of the plant to serve critical commercial and industrial clusters within the Niger Delta region.

Despite persistent sector-wide challenges, NDPHC stated that it has recorded several operational and financial milestones, including recovery of 110 containers with critical turbine parts and HRSG components abandoned at Onne Port for over nine years.

Besides, it stated that it commenced  the Light Up Nigeria – Agbara industrial cluster project to connect the Agbara Industrial Estate to the grid and a 10MW embedded solar project for an industrial area in Kano, completion of key transmission and distribution projects in Borno and Delta States, as well as the completion of Afam–Ikot Ekpene 330kV double circuit transmission line.

Other success stories, it said, include recovery of over $10 million in legacy debts from bilateral customers, securing $15 million in insurance claims for the Alaoji plant fire incident, advanced engagements with NERC on recovering NDPHC’s investments in TCN’s transmission expansion projects, resolution of longstanding commercial issues with Accugas, leading to an amendment of gas supply agreement which reduced government’s exposure.

To strengthen accountability and staff welfare, the management of NDPHC said it introduced a procurement benchmarking desk for streamlining procurement practices, Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for enhanced staff performance management, and a management support allowance to cushion the impacts of fuel subsidy removal.

Meanwhile, to strengthen electricity supply in Abia State,  the state government, in partnership with the NDPHC, has commenced the construction of a 7.5MVA, 33/11kV Injection Substation in Umuahia.

Governor Alex Otti , who performed the groundbreaking ceremony, described the project as a transformative initiative that will significantly boost power supply and enhance distribution reliability across the state. He noted that the new infrastructure marked the beginning of a broader effort to modernise Abia’s power network.

The project is being executed by NDPHC under the NIPP and its scope includes the construction of a 1km 33kV line, 1.2km of 11kV line, installation of two 300kVA distribution substations, and the provision of 2km of low-tension line.

The governor further revealed that the state government has budgeted for an additional 7.5MVA Injection Substation in the 2026 fiscal year, which will raise the combined capacity in the Ogurube Layout area of Umuahia to 15MVA once completed.

Adighije, represented at the event by Executive Director, Networks, Babayo Bello reaffirmed the company’s commitment to expanding access to reliable and sustainable electricity nationwide. She said the Umuahia project reflects NDPHC’s mandate to empower communities and drive economic development.