The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and its joint venture partner, Nigerian Agip Oil Company, on Friday announced their readiness to boost the country’s power generation by 480 megawatts through the completion of the Okpai Phase II independent power project by 2019.

This was disclosed during the inauguration of the Okpai Phase II power project by the Group Managing Director, NNPC, Maikanti Baru.

He said all the partners were working hard to deliver on the project in terms of specifications, time and budget.

Baru stated that the decision by the partners to embark on the second phase of the Okpai power project was hinged on the success of first phase.

The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC, Ndu Ughamadu, quoted Baru as saying in a statement, “Although it (Okpai Phase I) was meant to generate 450MW into the national grid, it is now generating an average of 300MW due to evacuation challenge. This is a significant addition to the national grid.”

He noted that the Okpai Phase II project, on completion, would generate additional 480MW into the national grid.

The NNPC boss charged a 12-man committee set up to actualise the project to work hard and explore the possibility of delivering it ahead of the 2019 target date, as the project was critical to the nation’s power aspirations.

The Managing Director, NAOC, Massimo Insula, who was represented by Mr. Luca Bai, said everything had been put in place to ensure that the Okpai Phase II project was delivered on schedule.

The Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Oando, Omamofe Boyo, said the company was committed to sustaining the successes recorded in the first phase of the project, adding that it would work with other partners to ensure prompt and timely delivery of the plant.