By Jide Dominic
Bayelsa State Indigenous Engineers have revealed that they can overhaul the existing old and new gas turbines built by the late Chief Medford Okilo’s administration in Imiringi, Ogbia Local Government Area of the State.
While speaking with journalists on a fact-finding visit to the site of the ongoing installation of a new 60mw gas turbine in Yenagoa as a result of a statement credited to the management of the Bayelsa Electricity Company Ltd(BECL), , the group represented by its leader, Eng. Bragrand Emiowei, noted that the powering of Yenagoa and its environs can no longer be completed as earlier promised due to logistics reasons, noting that the Imiringi power plant has no fewer than 71mw gas turbines installed.
He commended the state Governor, Senator Douye Diri, for the procurement and ongoing installation of the new 60mw plug and play Jampur gas turbines, calling on the governor to support them to resuscitate the Imiringi plant in order to power the entire Bayelsa-East Senatorial district and adjoining areas.
The group called on the State Government and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to partner with them to maintain the plant, noting that Bayelsa East is the worst hit by the perennial blackout in parts of the state.
They said: “The Melford Okilo’s administration installed 20mw gas turbine, the administration of Goodluck Jonathan as governor then also brought 31mw turbine and that of Chief Timipre Sylva installed 20mw turbine at the Imiringi Independent Power Project (IPP)’
“We thank Governor Diri for the ongoing installation of the new 60mw gas turbines at Elebele, but we will like to plead that while working on the new turbines that the ASSURED PROSPERITY administration should support our indigenous Engineers to overhaul the Imiringi Power Plant to power the entire Bayelsa-East Senatorial district and other parts of the state.
“Brass, Nembe and Ogbia Local government Areas of the state are amongst the worst affected by the near absence of electricity in the state. We need the support of the NDDC, the state government and other relevant agencies to get the Imiringi Power Plant running again,” they reiterated.
