Cross River sets sights on 600MW power generation capacity in 2022

Yinka Oladele

Prof Ben Ayade, governor of Cross Rivers State has disclosed that the state was targeting a combined generation capacity of about 600MW electricity between now and next year 2022.

This comes as the governor has promised a speedy completion of the 27MW Adiabo Power Plant at the Tinapa Business Resort, as part of an effort to boost Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in the state.

The governor made this disclosure in the course of his inspection of the level of work done at the power plant.

He said the idea is to ensure that MSMEs in the state have opportunity to have electricity and grow the local economy, adding that the cumulative effect of the power projects was that Cross River State and Calabar in particular, will be the first state capital that will run on 24hours electricity without failing

“We have 27MW here with a potential to install another 27MW which gives us a combined cycle that can bring in a third. When we get to that capacity, we will be in a position to feed the national grid.

“We are considering bringing in a third party investor who will be the operator of this plant, having been installed by the main contractor, Skipperseil Group. And we are happy to announce to Nigerians that Cross River State is getting another power plant of 27MW, the one in Parliamentary Road is 23MW.

“The contractors are looking to complete this project by April next year. But I am back tracking it to December this year because my people have to have electricity in greater Calabar. But of course once the plant in Odukpani starts running, this one (Tinapa) runs and the one in Parliamentary runs, we will be having a combined capacity of almost 600MW generated within Calabar.

“It therefore means that we have to set up a state transmission line that will share power to the rest of the state all the way to the Northern Senatorial District, particularly the Obudu Cattle Ranch where we are currently doing a 3MW hydro power plant in combination with the wind system.

“So I am focusing on energy as a way of liberating our people from the horrifying dependence on the very difficult national grid. And I am proud to say that a Cross Riverian is the Minister of State for Power and he is working aggressively, supporting us to see to the realization of all these power projects.”

He expressed delight at the multiplier effects of the project, noting that the project was coming also at a time that the state was pushing for metropolitan fibre optic line to power homes with smart wifi connectivity at a negligible cost.