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SPDC JV’s Afam VI delivers 20million MWh electricity into national grid

By BusinessNews Staff on June 30, 2015

Shell’s Afam VI Power Plant in Rivers State has delivered over 20 million Megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity into the Nigerian grid between its inauguration in 2008 and June 2015, thereby consolidating its position as a leading contributor to the country’s grid generation.

The operations at Afam VI plant have also led to subcontract opportunities and employment for over 150 Nigerians from the 16 host communities.

The milestone 20million MWh of electricity is equivalent to 24-hour power supply to over one million residential consumers or nearly 180,000 medium-sized commercial enterprises for six years. It is also worth six years of 24-hour power supply to Port Harcourt city alone!

The power plant was built by the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) Limited Joint Venture and achieved first power in August 2008, about three years after the contract was awarded.

“The SPDC JV is pleased to be a reliable partner in the quest for stable power supply in Nigeria,” said SPDC Managing Director and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Osagie Okunbor.

“What is most exciting is that the plant has achieved this milestone while also touching the lives of community people and helping youths to acquire key engineering skills.”

Located at Okoloma village in Oyigbo Local Government, the plant has an installed capacity of 650MW and consists of three gas turbines each rated at 150MW, and one steam turbine rated at 200MW.

The gas turbines were inaugurated in July 2009, while the steam turbine came on stream in December 2010. The plant receives gas from SPDC’s gas plant, also at Okoloma.

Built on the best technology in the industry and utilising waste heat energy in the gas turbine exhaust gas, the additional 200MW from the steam turbine considerably reduces the plant’s carbon footprint.

As a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project under the United Nations Executive Board for Climate Change, the Afam VI Power Plant eliminated over 500,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year, while also maintaining excellent safety standards. The plant could not, however, deliver nearly 5 million MWh due to gas supply disruptions from crude theft and pipeline vandalism.

Aside from the over 150 jobs created by the SPDC JV through the Afam VI operations, the integrated energy giant has also provided hands-on and offshore training for 15 youths in electrical, mechanical and instrumentation engineering on Combined Cycle Power Plant operations and maintenance.

All the trainees are already employed in the Nigerian power industry. Arrangements have been concluded for the training of another 15 community youths.

[ThisDay]

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