The House of Representatives has called on Vice President Kashim Shettima to convene an emergency meeting of the board of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) to discuss the urgent revival of the Gbarain Power Plant. This move aims to enhance the efficiency of the national grid, which has been affected by the plant's current state of abandonment.
In a related development, the House has summoned the Managing Director of NDPHC, Joseph Ugbo, to appear before the House Committee on Power. He is expected to provide explanations regarding the state of the Gbarain Power Plant and the reasons behind its neglect.
The Gbarain Power Plant, located in Bayelsa State, was designed as an open cycle gas turbine power plant with future conversion potential to a combined cycle gas turbine configuration. It has a capacity of 252 megawatts and is situated in Koroama, Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State.
The decision to address the Gbarain Power Plant's condition came after a motion of urgent public importance was moved by Oboku Oforji, the representative of Yenagoa/Opokuma Federal Constituency in Bayelsa State. Oforji alleged that the NDPHC intended to repurpose the plant as a construction site, despite its potential to meet the electricity needs of the entire Niger Delta region.
Oforji highlighted that the gas allocated to the plant is currently not being utilized, posing a potential danger to the surrounding community. He praised the intervention of the Bayelsa State Government, which has prevented a possible gas explosion in the area.
