From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Delta State Government has set up a committee to look into the contract of Independent Power Plant (IPP) project in Oghara, Ethiope West Local Government Area of the state.
The project was awarded by the previous administration of former governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.
The House of Assembly had earlier this year raised a committee to investigate the project but the work of the committee was abruptly stopped after an initial visit to the project site.
However, Commissioner for Energy, Mr. Newworld Safugha told newsmen in Asaba, yesterday, during the ongoing ministerial press briefing that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has set up another committee to look into the project.
He listed members of the three-man committee to include himself and his counterparts in the Ministry of Justice, Mr. Peter Mrakpor and Ministry of Finance, Mr. David Edevwie.
According to him, state government has signed a number of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with foreign investors toward generating sustainable power and energy.
They include Luxra Nigeria Limited, a British-based investor, the Yutai-Li Nigeria Limited, a China based investor and Bastanchury Power Solutions Limited.
Safugha said Luxra was expected to generate 300 megawatts of electricity from Solar PV Plants in the state, and Yutai-Li would construct 100 megawatts of Solar PV Plant at Otolokpo/Umunede in Ika North East Local Government Area.
He added that Bastanchury would develop 8.5 megawatts Gas-Turbine in Asaba Integrated Power Project to provide electricity to all government offices, residential quarters and facilities in the state.
The commissioner explained that the projects would be operated under Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) by the investors for about 25 years.
“So much multi-million dollar is involved in the power generation drive. Apart from provision of infrastructure aimed at boosting power supply from the national grid, the state government has gone on to exploit opportunities provided by alternative sources of power supply,” he said.
Safugha listed Solar Energy Development, Bio Energy Development and Wind Energy Development among the renewable sources of power supply being explored by the state.
He said a leasing agreement has been signed with Messrs Wall’s Integrated Services Limited, to utilise the LED Display Boards in the area of dissemination of information and advertisement.