By Kingsley Okoye
Afam (Rivers) Abuja – The General Electric (GE) says it has delivered its TM2500 mobile aero derivative gas turbine generator sets to Afam 3 Fast Power project site.
GE said this in a statement issued by Messers Anne Ezeh Communications Manager Africa and Melissa Quesnel Communications Manager on Tuesday.
According to GE, the fast trailer-mounted gas turbine solution has the capacity to add 240 Mega Watts (MW) to the Afam 3 Power plant.
GE and Nigeria had signed an agreement in 2014, to archive Nigeria’s additional power generation of 10,000MW.
GE is providing the mobile power generation equipment, electrical balance of plant, installation, commissioning services and training to the plant operators.
It is estimated that the Afam 3 power plant will get to commercial operation later in the year, pending Federal Government’s execution of financial structure of the plant.
The statement also quoted the Chief Executive Officer of GE, Mr Lawrence Anagbazo as saying “the project is a direct response to the Nigerian Emergency Fast Power intervention initiative, and we are committed to supporting the government’s strategy.’’
Anagbazo said GE team in partnership with the Ministry of Power had taken previously unutilised site and turned them into viable modern Power plants.
According to him, the completion of the project will provide electricity to 1.5 million Nigerians.
Meanwhile, GE’s Manging Director in charge of Gas Power Systems in Nigeria, said the Afam fast power plant was valued at 186 million dollars.
He said the delivery of the fast mobile equipment, a crucial component of the project was designed to support Nigerians energy needs.
According to him, the TM2500 generator sets, which is a trailer mounted can also be installed faster than traditional power plants
This, he said was suited For Nigeria’s energy demand.
According to him, GE’s TM2500 fast Power solution delivers reliable and efficient Power with speed.
“It can operate with gas or distillate liquid fuel and emits approximately 50 per cent lower emissions compared to disel generators when operating on natural gas,’’ he said.
The Managing Director of Afam Power PLC, Mr Olumide Obademi said the Federal Government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GE to supply Fast Power in line with government incremental Power plan.
Obademi said the fast plant was a capacity of 240 MW of eight turbines of 30 MW each.
He said the installation of the turbines and generators had been completed while installation of the axillaries was in progress with 90 per cent completion.
He also said the job on 132KV switch yard for Power evacuation was on the verge of being completed. (NAN)