FG targets 540MW with power restoration at ALSCON

By Obas Esiedesa, Abuja

The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has pledged to reconstruct the powerfulness works astatine the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON), saying the installation could lend up to 540 megawatts (MW) of energy to the nationalist grid.

Adelabu, who made the committedness during a moving sojourn to the institution successful Ikot-Abasi, Akwa Ibom State, noted that reviving the works would not lone boost powerfulness proviso but besides make astir 15,000 nonstop and indirect jobs erstwhile afloat operational.

The curate lamented that, 37 years aft its establishment, the deficiency of dedicated energy proviso had prevented the state from reaping the benefits of the immense concern successful ALSCON.

He said a impermanent program to link the institution to the nationalist grid would beryllium implemented portion efforts proceed toward a semipermanent powerfulness solution.

Expressing interest implicit the abandoned 330kV substation successful the community—built by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) and astir 90 percent completed earlier it was near unattended—Adelabu assured that the authorities would guarantee its completion “within the shortest imaginable time,” describing it arsenic captious to maximizing ALSCON’s potential.

The curate recalled that ALSCON was conceived successful 1989 but not completed until 1998, and pursuing the 2006 privatization exercise, it was taken implicit by the Aluminium Smelting Company of Russia (RUSAL).

“These immense investments person suffered owed to deficiency of powerfulness proviso successful the past 27 years,” Adelabu said. “We are alert of the tremendous imaginable of a installation similar this—in the upstream, midstream, and downstream conversion of aluminium—to make jobs for our youths, proviso earthy materials to section industries, and prevention overseas speech spent connected imports.”

He explained that the government’s renewed effort aligns with its committedness to supply energy to the bulk of Nigerians by 2030, successful enactment with Vision 2030 and the Tanzania Declaration.

“I person travel to conscionable with stakeholders—the owners of the company, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), NDPHC, and the contractors—to devise contiguous and medium-term solutions to ALSCON’s powerfulness challenges,” helium added.

Adelabu disclosed that the works has six turbines of 90MW each, each successful bully condition. “Once the 330/132kV substation and the 330kV treble circuit transmission enactment from Ikot-Ekpene to Ikot-Abasi are completed, we tin evacuate the afloat 540MW to the nationalist grid,” helium said.

He further hinted astatine an enlargement possibility: “This unfastened circuit enactment tin beryllium upgraded to a combined circuit, adding 20MW per turbine and bringing full capableness to astir 660MW.”

On state supply, the curate said the situation was purely commercial. “If the terms is right, state suppliers volition deliver. The pipeline is functional and serves a adjacent powerfulness institution little than 500 meters away. It’s simply a substance of agreeing connected a viable pricing structure.”

Earlier, Viacheslav Krylov, ALSCON’s Development Advisor, outlined the company’s challenges since the July 2024 statesmanlike directive to restart operations. He said plans were underway to execute 200,000 metric tonnes of aluminium accumulation annually wrong six years, creating implicit 15,000 jobs for Nigerians.

Krylov emphasized that aluminium smelting is highly power-intensive, requiring continuous, stable, and high-volume electricity. He confirmed that the plant’s full installed capableness is 540MW, with astir 360MW expected to beryllium disposable astatine highest operation.

The station FG targets 540MW with powerfulness restoration astatine ALSCON appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.