Work at the Calabar power plant, a gas power plant and one of the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP) located at Odukpani, Calabar state in Nigeria, is about 95% complete and is expected to be ready by December this year.
This was confirmed by the contractors of this combined upcoming open cycle power plant, who informed the Vice president Namadi Sambo of the status of construction works at the site, during his visit to the site this week.
Stakeholders in the Calabar power plant project have been called upon to work within the established schedule to avoid slippages that could disrupt the planned take off date. The plant has the capacity of 563.37MW.
The news for expected completion of the Calabar power station comes when a tussle between the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Electricity Management Services Limited (EMSL) has been renewed, in relation to the control of the technical regulation of Nigeria’s electricity market.
NERC still remained the sole regulator mandated by law for the sector.
Vice President Namadi Sambo was told by the Calabar power plant project consultant, Steag Encotec West Africa (SEWA) and it’s engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor, Marubeni West Africa, that it is crucial to have other transmission projects finished despite the fact that the Balance of Plant (BoP) inauguration will start in December after the first gas delivery to the plant by Seven Energy in October 2014 has been done. This would, according to Steag Encotec and Marubeni, ensure smooth transmission of power from the Calabar power station.
Reports about commencement of the Calabar power plant also come shortly after the 434MW Geregu and 500MW Omotosho plants were unveiled in October 2013 in Kogi and Ondo States respectively.
