THE British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr Richard Montgomery, has described the model of the Geometric Power in developing the Aba Independent Power Project (IPP) in Abia as impressive.
Montgomery gave the commendation after inspecting the facilities at the newly built IPP, located at the Osisioma Local Government Area in Abia on Thursday.
He was received on arrival by the Geometric Power Management led by its Chairman, Prof. Bart Nnaji, a former Nigeria’s Minister of Power.
The High Commissioner said the project represented the kind of innovation needed to drive sustainable development across Nigeria.
Montgomery was accompanied by the Abia Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Mr Ikechukwu Monday.
Montgomery lauded the state-of-the-art facilities at the power utility.
He said: “Given the technical sophistication attained by Geometric Power, I would like UK firms to work with it”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the IPP was commissioned on Feb. 26 by Vice-President Kashim Shettima.
The Aba IPP started in 2004 on the recommendation of the then World Bank President, James Wolfonsohn, and the then Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
The Geometric Power Managing Director, Ben Caven, said the project had in addition, 150,000 kilometres of overhead wires and cables.
He said: “Our steel tubular poles, with 10 metres buried in the ground to withstand any natural disaster like an earthquake, match the ones in San Francisco in the United States and Tokyo in Japan.
“We have also built a 27km gas pipeline from Owaza in Ukwa West LGA to the Osisioma Industrial Layout in Aba.”
Nnaji praised the high commissioner for the visit, adding that the Geometric Power would likely overcome the ongoing gas supply challenges in the next few weeks.
“Aba would be receiving about 100MW while about 50MW would be exported to the national grid to boost electricity in other parts of the country,” he said.
NAN also reports that the $800 million power project, comprises a 188-megawatt gas-fired plant with an embedded distribution firm to provide electricity to nine of the 17 local government areas in Abia State, has three installed General Electric (GE) turbines and four brand-new substations.
Other Geometric Power executives present during the visit include the Geometric Power Group Managing Director, Mrs Agatha Nnaji; the Aba Power Managing Director, Ugo Opiegbe, and the Geometric Power Chief Financial Officer, Mr Tony Alozie.
The Aba Power Chief Operating Officer, Blessing Ogbe, an Engineer; Facilities Manager, Geometric Power Group, Mr Adeniyi Adebiyi, as well as Hannah Yangchi, Principal Manager, Projects.(NAN)
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