Power drops by 1000mw as a result of pipe line vandalism, Senate

The Senate on Thursday said that the recent attacks on major oil and gas pipelines in the Warri area of Delta State by suspected Niger Delta militants had caused colossal damage to the National Integrated Power Project.

Tribune reports that the upper legislative chamber claimed that the unfortunate development had resulted into a loss of about 1,000 megawatts of electricity from the gas-fired power generation plants.

The militants had last week blown up the Abiteye flow station and Sagara Chevron pipelines in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State. The pipelines convey gas to the NIPP plants.
The Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Gas Resources, Bassey Akpan, and Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Tayo Alasoadura, stated this at a joint press conference in Abuja.

Alasoadura said the Red Chamber condemned the unpatriotic act of vandals who had decided to blow up pipelines at this time of national emergency when the dwindling price of oil and the insurgency in the North-East was affecting the nation’s economy.

Alasoadura said, “It is very disheartening that at a time when all hands should be on deck to revive the economy and ensure the survival of the country, some people could decide at this point in time in the history of the nation to further sabotage the efforts of the present administration to bring some sanity into our country.
“It is, therefore, apt for the Senate to condemn strongly and make an unambiguous statement on this dastardly act that tends to turn the hand of the clock back.”

He said the sabotage had led to the shutting down of two of the country’s refineries that started working a few months back.

Akpan added that the explosions affected the major gas pipelines in the country, and that Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and the Nigerian Gas Company had told his committee that the country would lose over 200 million cubic feet of gas on a daily basis, enough to produce 1,000 megawatts of electricity.
Akpan said, “This is the gas terminal that supplies Egbin and most of the NIPPs along the South Western region of this country.

“In a period where we are grappling with the challenge of domestic gas supply, we believe very strongly that the action of the militants should be condemned.”

The Senate condemned the fresh uprising and blowing up of oil and gas pipelines in the Niger Delta region.

- Rexinews

- Tribune