The Niger Delta Power Holding Company has announced the successful restoration of the 450-megawatt Alaoji Open Cycle Power Plant in Abia State, bringing the facility back online after a 36-month shutdown linked to gas supply disruptions, metering disputes, and accumulated debts.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NDPHC, Jennifer Adighije, disclosed the development during a meeting with Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, where she provided an update on the measures taken to revive the power plant.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by NDPHC’s Head of Corporate Communications and External Relations, Emmanuel Ojor, the plant was shut down in 2023 following disagreements over gas metering and trading points.
The dispute led TotalEnergies to suspend gas supply to the facility, forcing its operations to halt.
The shutdown also resulted in the buildup of significant debts owed to the gas supplier, further compounding the operational difficulties facing the power plant.
The Alaoji Power Plant is one of Nigeria’s key government-owned electricity generation facilities developed under the National Integrated Power Projects,, a programme designed to tackle the country’s persistent power supply challenges.
Situated in Alaoji, near Aba in Abia State, the plant was initiated during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo as part of a broader effort to boost national power generation capacity through investments funded by excess crude oil revenues.
The facility is managed by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, the special purpose vehicle established to implement and oversee the National Integrated Power Projects nationwide.
Speaking during the meeting, Adighije, who hails from Abia State, said the revival of the Alaoji Power Plant became one of her top priorities upon assuming office in 2024, citing the facility’s strategic role in strengthening the national grid and improving electricity supply across the South-East.
She noted that the company implemented a series of comprehensive technical and financial measures to restore the plant’s operations and return it to service after years of inactivity.
“The Niger Delta Power Holding Company has restored operations of the 450 megawatts Alaoji Open Cycle Power Plant in Abia State after it was shut down in 2023 over gas supply and metering disputes. The good news is that we have carried out and fixed all the remedial works on the defective gas line. We’ve also been able to completely defray our past due obligations to Total, and Total has restored gas supply to the plant,” she said.
Adighije further disclosed that NDPHC completed extensive electromechanical rehabilitation works at the facility, resulting in the successful restoration of three generating units—GT1, GT22, and GT23.
She said the revived units now have the capacity to supply approximately 375 megawatts of electricity to the national grid.
According to her, the plant is supported by sufficient transmission infrastructure and faces no major power evacuation constraints, positioning it as a vital asset in Nigeria’s electricity generation and supply network.
“We would love to form a strategic alliance with Abia State considering the fact that you are very driven and determined to secure uninterrupted electricity for the good people of Abia State,” she said.
Responding, Otti described the restoration of the Alaoji Power Plant as a significant milestone for Abia State, noting that increased electricity generation would help drive industrialisation, boost economic activities, and enhance the quality of life for residents.
“The last time I visited the Alaoji plant, it was regrettable that such capacity was wasting away. I’m glad to learn that you have brought it back to life,” the governor said.
According to Otti, the state government has already ring-fenced the Umuahia electricity market and signed agreements with the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company to acquire distribution assets serving Umuahia and adjoining communities.
He noted that the Umuahia ring-fence would require about 100 megawatts of electricity to adequately supply the eight local government areas within the zone.
The governor added that the state was also investing in renewable energy initiatives and mini-grid projects as part of efforts to expand access to reliable electricity.
To advance the state’s power sector plans, Otti directed the Abia State Commissioner for Power to commence discussions with NDPHC officials on the framework for wheeling electricity from the Alaoji Power Plant to Umuahia and other parts of the state.
