By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The city of Aba in Abia State is beaming with excitement as President Bola Tinubu is expected to commission the Geometric power plant today, Monday, February 26, 2024.
The facility is the first integrated power plant in Nigeria. It is situated in the Osisioma Industrial area of Aba. It is expected to provide 24-hour electricity to the city and about nine of the 17 local government areas of the state.
The 181-megawatt Geometric power plant cost about $800 million and was done by a former Minister of Power, Mr Barth Nnaji.
Electricity from the plant will be distributed by the newest electricity distribution company (DISCO) in the country, Aba Power Limited Electric.
It was gathered that on Sunday, Turbine 3 was turned on at about 3.39 pm, sparking jubilation in the city.
Mr Tinubu will be welcomed to the state for the commissioning today by the Governor of Abia State, Mr Alex Otti, who is less than a year in office.
Mr Nnaji started the power plant some years ago after a former World Bank President, Mr James Wolfensohn, and then Minister of Finance Minister (Now World Trade Organisation DG), Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, visited Aba on March 17, 2004, and convinced him to assist with a power plant dedicated to Aba.