Power Set To Improve As NNPC Repairs Damaged Gas Pipeline

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation said it had repaired the
sections of the sabotaged Escravos-Lagos Gas Pipeline Network leading to
significant boost in electricity generation.
This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by the Acting
General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the Corporation, Dr Omar
Ibrahim.

The statement said the repair had ended almost seven months of gas supply
outage caused by hacking of the pipeline in Delta State.
It also said that this would enable the re-injection of almost 200 million
cubic feet per day (mmcf/d) of gas into the grid, the equivalent of about
700 megawatts of electricity.
The statement said the corporation had also completed repair on the
pulverized Trans-Forcados Pipeline last week which accounted for 230
mmcf/d of gas the equivalent of 805 megawatts of electricity.
“With the latest repair of the ELPS, the NNPC within the last one week is
injecting a 430 mmcf/d of gas into the grid which translates to 1,505
megawatts of electricity every day” , it said.
It also stated that an additional 60mmcf/d is expected within three weeks
when ongoing repair at the Utorogu gas plant was projected for completion.
It stressed that Nigerians should expect steady improvement in power
availability through the course of the year.
The statement noted that despite short term challenges being experienced
as a result of deliberate pipeline sabotage, the gas sector reform was
ongoing and on course.
“ In the last three years alone, over 400km of new gas pipelines have been
completed and we are expanding pipeline capacity and enhancing
connectivity with various gas supply sources.’’
The statement said that all PHCN and NIPP power plants were now connected
to gas pipeline infrastructure.
It stressed that additional 450km were under construction, of which 340km
was due for completion by the end of 2014 and the balance by 2016.
“The ongoing gas infrastructure work is the most extensive the nation has
ever seen, with many new kilometres of pipeline being added every day.
“Gas production and supply have also grown to an all-time high of
1500mmcf/d from less than 500mmcf/d four years ago.
“A major part of this new supply is being directed to the power sector,
whilst the non-power sector such as cement, manufacturing, etc., have seen
double increase in supply within the same period.
“Unfortunately, challenges of pipeline attack continue to undermine the
impact of these great efforts’’, it said.
It noted that supply growth remained the priority of the NNPC and its
Joint Venture partners.
“Many projects are being progressed to assure realisation of this
objective. Before the end of the year, about 200mmcf/d new gas will be
added to the grid as some projects are billed for completion in June and
September.
“The trend is expected to continue through 2015 when many more projects
are completed’’, it stated.
It assured that efforts were being put in place to guarantee sustainable
growth in gas supply, with particular focus on the power sector.