Senate to probe Kaduna power plant failure

The Senate on Thursday mandated its Committee on Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy and Committee on Gas to investigate the failure of Kaduna State government-owned power plant to generate electricity.
The plant has a capacity of 215 Megawatt.
The Senate’s decision followed a motion moved by the Chairman of its Committee on Gas, Bassey Akpan, who said there was urgent need to save the plant.
He said the plant’s problem had led to protracted power outage in northern part of the country, leading to shutdown of industries.
Akpan said, “It is surprising that the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing appears to have jettisoned the use of gas to power the Kaduna power plant.
“Instead, it opted for the construction of Automobile Gas Oil (diesel) tanks for the use of diesel, which is 60 per cent higher in cost when compared with gas.
“It is further surprising that in the Federal Tenders Journal of May 28 to June 11, 2017, the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing advertised for supply of AGO instead of gas to power the Kaduna power plant.”
He called for alternative source of gas supply to the plant to get it working.
The Senate president, Bukola Saraki, urged the committees to carry out the investigation and get back to the Senate.
He said, ‘’The committee must take this matter with the seriousness it deserves and quickly come back to us.
“Clearly, there is an issue here. Obviously, there are people who are looking at personal interest as against the interest of the people.
“There is no doubt about it; alternative option of gas is the way forward. To say now that it is diesel, I really cannot fathom.”
Saraki assured the Senate would take a firm decision on the matter.