Most parts of Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, have been without power for several days due to a lack of gas supply to the Geometric Power plant.
This information was disclosed by Aba Power Limited Electric (APLE), the electricity distribution company responsible for the Aba ring-fenced area, which includes nine Local Government Areas of Abia State.
In a press statement made available, the management of APLE expressed regret over the current shortage of gas supply to its power plant, which occurred last week and affected their ability to deliver the desired level of electricity service to consumers.
The company noted that its gas supplier had assured them they were working diligently to resolve the issue within their facilities and would restore the gas supply as soon as possible.
Bart Nnaji, a professor and chairman of Geometric Power Limited, which owns the integrated independent power plant at Osisioma Industrial Estate in Aba, had previously warned that a lack of gas would be the only obstacle to providing constant power in the commercial city during the plant’s inauguration on February 26, 2024.
Nnaji reiterated this warning on Thursday, June 13, 2024, in Lagos, highlighting that the current promotion of electric and gas-powered vehicles in Nigeria could be hampered by insufficient gas and electricity supply, as well as the lack of necessary infrastructure to recharge electric vehicles.
Speaking at the American Business Council (ABC) Economic Update held at Pier Harbour, Victoria Island, Nnaji delivered a keynote address titled “Powering Up Nigeria: Embracing Clean Technologies for Sustainable Growth.” He urged the Federal Government not to succumb to pressure to classify natural gas as a regular fossil fuel to be phased out in the transition to cleaner energy.
Nnaji also cautioned the government against developing nuclear energy without adequately addressing the management of its wastewater. He stressed the need to increase power generation to 100,000 MW and upgrade the country’s power transmission infrastructure to a super grid to efficiently transmit electricity nationwide.
In related news, stakeholders have called on the Federal Government to prioritize the safety of women farmers amid Nigeria’s ongoing food crisis and Euro 2024 saw Denmark held to a draw by Slovenia despite Eriksen’s goal. Meanwhile, a court has stopped DisCos and NERC from hiking electricity tariffs.
