By Energy Worth
In its efforts towards increasing power supply in Aba, the Abia State government, is set to partner Geometric, Ruyi Holding Group to provide an enabling environment that would support commerce to thrive.
Consequently, the state government has opened talks with two firms, Geometric Power Limited, the promoters of the independent power plant in Aba and Ruyi Holding Group, a Chinese firm, to build new power sub-stations in some parts of the State.
This was made known during a tripartite meeting between the State Government, led by Ude Oko Chukwu, the acting Governor of the State, Barth Nnaji of Geometric Power Limited and Liming Sun, president, Ruyi Holding Group of China, at the Osisioma, Aba plant of Geometric.
Oko Chukwu, expressed the willingness of the state government to facilitate the project in order to provide the enabling environment for business to thrive, as well as provide uninterrupted power supply for the new Enyimba Industrial city.
At present, it is estimated that Nigeria, with a population of over 180 million people, generates less than 5,000 megawatts of electricity. Of the 5,000 megawatts, the Southeast receives only 300 megawatts.
The region needs more than one thousand (1,000) megawatts in view of the enormous economic activities that impact on the nation’s gross domestic product. Aba in particular is the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) capital of Nigeria, with over 250,000 MSMEs, making different products.
To ensure constant supply of electricity in Abia State, particularly Aba, which is the commercial capital of the state and South East region, the state government has expressed its readiness to partner with the Chinese firm and Geometric, for the immediate activation of the Aba grid of the Geometric power project.
When activated, the grid will produce and distribute power locally, without passing through the national grid.
Reviewing the planned collaborative project, President of the Chinese firm, Liming Sun, promised that when completed the project will provide Abians with reliable and uninterrupted power.
Sun explained that his group builds and invests in providing reliable power solutions, adding that with the soon to be launched Enyimba Economic City project, the South East zone will certainly need more power supply to drive industrialisation and commercial activities.
Barth Nnaji, chairman, Geometric Power Limited and Nigeria’s former Minister for Power, in his presentation, explained that his firm provides a model of electricity deployment, which domiciles the power locally where it is needed, and informed that his company has license to supply electricity to nine Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state, including the proposed Enyimba economic city.
He explained that Geometric Power Limited has invested a total of $550 million at the Aba power plant, while the critical substations have been completed.
