In an unexpected turn of events, the eagerly awaited inauguration of the 181-megawatt Geometric Power plant in Aba, Abia State, originally scheduled for Saturday, February 24, has been rescheduled to Monday, February 26, 2024. The announcement, made by the company’s management, cites unforeseen developments as the reason for the change, with The Presidency in Abuja selecting the new date.
President Bola Tinubu is set to commission the 188-MW thermal plant alongside Aba Power Ltd, marking a historic moment for the city and the nation. Aba Power Ltd is slated to distribute electricity from the new plant to nine out of the 17 local government areas in Abia State.
Energy consultant Engineer Cliff Eneh, a former senior manager with the defunct National Electric Power of Nigeria (NEPA) and Texa Power and Light Corporation in the United States, expressed minimal concern over the 48-hour delay. He commended the Federal Government for supporting Geometric Power, emphasizing the company's unique position as the only group in Nigeria generating and distributing its power.
Geometric Power, hailed as the largest investment in the Southeast, has invested approximately $800 million in its integrated power project. This encompasses the construction of a 27-kilometer natural gas pipeline from Owaza in Ukwa West LGA to the Osisioma Industrial Layout in Aba. The project also includes the installation of 150,000 kilometers of cables and wires, along with the establishment of four new power substations and the refurbishment of three inherited from the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).
Former NEPA Executive Director Ben Caven, now the Managing Director of Geometric Power Ltd, highlighted the extensive efforts put into the project. Patrick Umeh, a former executive with the Los Angeles Water and Light, praised the quality and size of the tubular poles in Aba, comparing them to facilities in Tokyo and San Francisco, noting their resilience in the face of natural disasters.
The Geometric Power Group, founded by Professor Bart Nnaji, responded to the dire need for reliable power in Aba after a visit from then-World Bank President James Wolfensohn and Nigeria's Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in 2004. The project was initiated to address the chronic power supply challenges faced by industries in Aba, known as the hub of indigenous manufacturing in Nigeria.
The upcoming inauguration, according to Chief Alphonsus Udeigbo of the Aba Landlords Protection and Development Association (ALPANDA), is poised to bring about a transformative change not just for Aba or Abia State but for the entire country. Sir Alexander Maduakor, President of the Association of Aba Industrialists, expressed that the commissioning of the Geometric Power plant on Monday would mark a new dawn for the nation.
