Akwa Ibom State Government has signed partnership agreement with African Delta Power to improve power output at Ibom Power Company for regular electricity supply in the completion agenda of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s administration The Trumpet gathered.
Speaking during the signing of the partnership pact at the office of Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) in Uyo on Tuesday, he disclosed that the partnership deal will bring additional 366 Megawatts to the existing 191 megawatts at the state owned power plant.
He said the new deal indicates that the aggregate maximum capacity of the gas turbine generating units is capable of producing up to 732megawatts, adding that Ibom Power will need to apply to the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) for licence expansion to cover the expanded license.
Dr Ekuwem explained that Ibom Power company has an on-grid license for 685mW.
Signing the agreement on behalf of the State Government was the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Uko Udom(SAN).
The Board Chairman of Ibom Power, Engr. Etido Inyang and Secretary of the Company, Barrister Ime Asibong signed for Ibom Power; while Jemeriah Oluwaseun and Christabel Nwagum (CEO of African Delta and Secretary respectively) appended their signatures on the agreement for African Delta Power.
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The ceremony which was held in the office of the Secretary to Akwa Ibom State Government and Chairman of the One-Stop-Shop on Investment Committee, Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem, disclosed that the proposed power plant will be developed as part of Phase the 2 of the Ibom Power Plant.
The SSG stated that the agreement was not an MoU but a step further which has transited the MoU phase in the deal. He said the proposed power project is under the ‘Power for All’ initiative of Governor Udom Emmanuel, which was earlier inaugurated two years ago by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. Ekuwem urged the investors to follow up the agreement by living up to the letters as enshrined in the terms of the contract.
On the implementation of the project, the One-Stop-Shop on Investment Committee, the Chairman urged the African Delta Power Team to speed up the processes and abide by the roadmap agreed by the government for the project.
The Chairman of Ibom Power Company Limited, Engr. Etido Inyang, said the first phase of Ibom Power Company is already operational with an installed capacity of 191megawatts. He said Ibom Power has a license to generate 685megawatts of power which the proposed power plant will leverage on.
“They are coming in with their first phase of 366megawatts with plans to expand to 732megawatts which we will get an additional license to support.”
The Board Chairman revealed that the Company had received many bids from several investors that had shown firm interest to partner Ibom Power for its Phase 2 but African Delta Power has proven to be ‘outstanding’.
“Their technical partners have been supportive and we have seen the turbines that are coming in. We have seen that they have evidence of funding that will be deployed in the installation of these turbines and they are going to commence groundbreaking within the first week of June,” he stated.
The Managing Director of Ibom Power, Engr. Meyen Etukudo expressed satisfaction over the deal and described it as “mutually rewarding” for both parties with great prospects for the future. Phase 2 of Ibom Power, according to him, will ensure the company continues to break more frontiers.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of African Delta Power, Jeremiah Oluwaseun, said “most of the turbines and the systems have been prefabricated ready to be deployed with their foreign technical partners from the United States.
”Once a few other things are put in place, these equipment will be shipped in, in phases for onward installation here.”
