Obasanjo Backs Geometric Power, Commissions Ogbor Hill Substation In Aba

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has commissioned the newly constructed 2×15 MVA Ogbor Hill Substation by Aba Power, a subsidiary of Geometric Power Limited, during a visit to the company’s facilities in Aba, Abia State.

The event is one that marked a significant milestone for Geometric Power and its subsidiaries, nearly two decades after the Obasanjo-led federal government signed a lease agreement with the company in 2005 to advance its power sector vision.

Following the commissioning, the former president toured key installations, including the 141 Megawatt Geometric Power Plant, the Aba Power Headquarters, and the Meter Roll-out Facility.

Speaking after the commissioning, Obasanjo thanked the management of Geometric Power and the Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, for their efforts in providing power supply and urged them to extend coverage across the state.

Governor Otti, in his remarks, recalled the early days of the Geometric Power vision and praised Obasanjo’s support in granting the company its operational licence.

He also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to electricity reform, announcing plans to acquire the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) and restructure Umuahia as an independent power island.

“We are also in the process of buying out EEDC and now restructuring Umuahia as another island. We’ve done all the due diligence, we’ve done all the evaluations, and by tomorrow, we will be making an offer to EEDC. So once we are in control, that excess power will go to Umuahia,” the governor stated.

According to Otti, Aba’s current electricity demand stands at about 100 megawatts, while Geometric Power’s installed capacity of 141 megawatts is soon to reach 188 megawatts, providing an excess that could be channelled to Umuahia and neighbouring states like Imo and Anambra.

“Exactly. So we can as well be selling power to Imo, Anambra, and the rest of our colleagues,” he added.

Highlighting the impact of power on economic growth, Otti said, “Our underdevelopment, our stalled capacity, our inability to generate employment, and our inability to reduce poverty levels – you can trace all of them to an epileptic power supply. As a government, we are determined to solve that problem.”

He commended Prof. Bart Nnaji, Chairman and CEO of Geometric Power, for his resilience in sustaining the vision despite financial challenges and praised his longstanding contribution to the power sector.

Also speaking, Prof. Nnaji recounted the progress made under the Aba Integrated Power Project and acknowledged the support of both Obasanjo and Otti.

He expressed appreciation for Governor Otti’s backing dating back to his banking career and noted that his administration has created an enabling environment for the project to succeed.

Earlier, Obasanjo, while commending the project’s success, appealed for an extension of power supply to the remaining eight local government areas in Abia State. He also lauded Aba’s role as an industrial hub deserving of steady electricity.

Speaking in an interview with THE WHISTLER, the Managing Director of Aba Power, Ugo Opiegbe, described the commissioning of the Ogbor Hill substation as a key development for improving electricity distribution in Aba. He said substations are necessary to stabilise power as it moves from the plant to various parts of the city.

He explained that the new 2×15 MVA injection substation at Ogbor Hill is dedicated to major industries that require a lot of power in the area, such as Glass Force, ADA Glass, and GZI. According to him, the project will attract more industries, create jobs, and improve security through a steady power supply.

Opiegbe also disclosed that Aba Power is set to begin a mass meter roll-out across Aba.

“Aba Power decided to meter every customer within the ring fence,” he said, noting that this will help reduce disputes over electricity usage.

He said the company is implementing a vendor financing programme and expects to receive about 350,000 metres, with 40,000 already delivered.

“In fact, we had to air freight the initial batches just to make sure we started very early,” he added.

Opiegbe, however, praised former President Obasanjo and Governor Alex Otti for their support of the power project and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to delivering uninterrupted electricity to the nine local government areas under its control.

Obasanjo Backs Geometric Power, Commissions Ogbor Hill Substation In Aba is first published on The Whistler Newspaper