The Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Kacalla Baru has said the joint venture between the NNPC and the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) will add an extra 480 megawatts (MW) to the federal government’s power generation aspiration.
He disclosed this yesterday in Abuja during the inauguration of the Okpai Phase II independent power project which he said will be completed by 2019.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Baru said all partners were working round the clock to deliver on the project in terms of specifications, time and budget.
He said the decision by the partners to embark on the second phase of the Okpai power project was hinged on the enormous success of Okpai Phase I, which he described as the most consistent power plant in the country.
“Although it (Okpai Phase I) was meant to generate 450MW into national grid, it is now generating an average of 300MW due to evacuation challenge. This is a significant addition to the national grid,” he said.
He said the Okpai Phase II project, on completion, would generate additional 480MW into the national grid.
He charged the 12-man committee to work hard and explore the possibility of delivering the project ahead of the 2019 target date, stressing that the project was very critical to the nation’s power aspirations.
The GMD also urged the JV partners to sustain the march towards transforming into an Independent JV in keeping with Presidential approval.
Earlier, the Managing Director of NAOC, Mr. Massimo Insula, who was represented by Mr. Luca Bai, said everything had been put in place to ensure that the Okpai Phase II Project was delivered on schedule.
In his remarks, Deputy CEO of Oando, Mr. Omamofe Boyo, said his company was committed to sustaining the successes recorded in Phase I of the project, assuring that they would work with other partners to ensure prompt and timely delivery of the project.
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