The Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), Bayelsa Chapter, has commended Governor Douye Diri for the ongoing 60-megawatt gas-fired turbine power project, describing the initiative as a turning point that could end years of unstable electricity supply in Bayelsa State.
The group gave the commendation during an industrial visit to the nearly completed 60MW gas-fired power plant located in Elebele.
Speaking during the visit, the Chairman of APWEN Bayelsa Chapter, Engr. Amalate Ann Jonathan Obuebite, led a delegation of more than 30 women engineers including professionals, graduates and engineering students to inspect the facility. She said the project represents a bold step by the state government toward solving the persistent electricity challenges facing residents and businesses.
Obuebite explained that the turbine project, which is about 99 percent completed, will inject an additional 60 megawatts of electricity into the state’s power supply. According to her, the plant will draw gas feed from the Oando gas manifold in Elebele and, once operational, will significantly reduce the frequent power outages experienced across the state.
She noted that the current supply of about 20 megawatts available to Bayelsa is grossly inadequate to meet the growing domestic and industrial energy demands of the state. The new turbine, she said, will strengthen the power infrastructure and provide the capacity required to stimulate economic activities.
According to the APWEN chairman, the completion of the project will place Bayelsa in a strong position to rely less on the national grid while guaranteeing a more stable electricity supply for homes, businesses and emerging industries.
The visiting engineers were conducted around the facility by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Bayelsa Electricity Company Limited, Engr. Olice Kemenanabo, who provided detailed explanations on the operations of the power plant.
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During the two-hour tour, participants were taken through various sections of the facility including the gas feed systems, turbines, boilers, pressure control units, transmitters, heat exchange components and emergency shut-off mechanisms.
The technical session also exposed the students to practical aspects of power generation, particularly how lean gas and methane are processed to drive the turbine and generate electricity.
Participants described the visit as a valuable learning experience that bridged the gap between classroom theory and real-world engineering practice. Engineering students present at the facility engaged the project managers with a series of questions, while the BECL managing director provided detailed responses aimed at deepening their understanding of the technology behind the power plant.
