The 504 MW Alaoji Power Plant in Abia State has been shut down. The shutdown occurred as a result of the rupture of the pipeline conveying gas to the plant, and which pipeline belongs to TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited.
The Niger Delta Power Holding Company, NDPHC, owners of the gas plant, announced the shutdown, in a statement issued yesterday and signed by its Head of Communication and Public Relations, Mr. Emmanuel Ojor.
According to the statement, the Line Block Valve at KP38 was closed to isolate the sabotage point and de-pressurization of the line, a situation that would affect gas supply to Alaoji Power Plant until further notice.
The NDPHC statement quoted TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited to have stated that, “Gas supply to Alaoji Power Plant was suspended due to this unfortunate event.”
“Preliminary investigation to determine the extent of the damage was ongoing, and repair works shall commence as soon as feasible,” the statement said.
The Omotosho National Independent Power Project (NIPP) was similarly shut down last month due to system wide curtailment of all gas shippers (gas producers/off takers) by the Nigeria Gas Company (NGC), “to forestall the imminent collapse of the gas grid.”
NGC had said at the time that the Trans-Forcardos Pipeline (TFP), belonging to NGC was breached on December 17, 2021.
That breach led to the deferment of about 250mmscfd of gas from the pipeline network The curtailment impacted operations of NDPHC negatively with Omotosho NIPP being shut down and gas supply to Geregu NIPP and Ihovbor NIPP also limited, thus leading to part load or low generation from these available power plants.
The NDPHC has assured all customers under its network that the Alaoji Power Plant and others would resume power generation as soon as gas supply was restored.
