By Dipo Olowookere
The Escravos-Lagos Pipeline (ELP) affected by fire last week has finally been restored, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has confirmed.
This was confirmed in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday by NNPC’s Group General Manager in charge of its Group Public Affairs Division, Mr Ndu Ughamadu.
Mr Ughamadu disclosed that the repair work on the pipeline followed the directive by the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr Maikanti Baru, to carry out an assessment of the damage with a view to getting a prompt solution.
As a result of the repair done on the pipeline, gas supply to customers on the line, including to power generating companies, has resumed.
It would be recalled that a section of the ELP at Abakila in Ondo State blew up in flames on January 2, 2018 as a result of a bush fire.
The incident affected gas supply to customers in Ondo, Ogun and Lagos States with subsequent shutdown of a number of power plants.
“With the restoration of the ELP and resumption of gas supply, the affected power plants with a combined generating capacity of 1,143MW would resume power generation,” the statement said.
It added that, “The power plants include Egbin Power Plant in Lagos State; Olorunshogo Power Plant, PEL Olorunshogo and Paras Power Plant in Ogun State; and Omotosho Power Plant in Ondo State.”
The 36-inch Escravos to Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS) is a natural gas pipeline built in 1989 to supply gas from Escravos in the Niger Delta to various consumption utilization areas.
It supplies gas to power plants in the South-west and also feeds the West African Gas Pipeline System.
Adedapo Adesanya