A gas leakage and facility disturbance at the Associated Gas Gathering (AGG) sites in Rivers State have triggered a major power outage across Aba’s Ring-fenced Area, affecting nine of Abia State’s 17 local government areas.
The incidents, which occurred at Obigbo and Agbada—two critical gas sites near Port Harcourt—led to a suspension of gas supply to the 188-megawatt Geometric Power Plant located in the Osisioma Industrial Layout, Aba. The shutdown has forced Aba Power, the city’s electricity distributor, to rely on just 25 megawatts from the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), far below the city’s energy demand.
According to industry insiders, the gas leak at Obigbo was less severe than the process upset at Agbada. Both facilities play a key role in gas supply to embedded power plants in the Southeast.
An engineer with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Marketing Limited, who requested anonymity, confirmed that the Agbada incident was more serious and required immediate safety measures.
Gas expert and former Shell executive Engineer Vincent Chukwueke explained that Heirs Energies, operator of Oil Mining Lease (OML) 17, suspended gas delivery to the Geometric Power Plant to prevent further risks.
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“For safety reasons, gas supply had to be halted while teams worked to resolve the issues quickly,” Chukwueke said.
The sudden drop in power generation has hit Aba’s industrial and residential zones hard, especially during the ongoing Easter holiday. Aba Power Managing Director Ugo Opiegbe confirmed the supply gap and expressed concern about its impact on consumers.
“We’re currently operating on just 25 megawatts from the national grid. Each of our three turbines typically generates 47 megawatts, but with the gas cut, they’re offline,” Opiegbe said.
He added that restoration efforts are in top gear and that full power could return within the next 24 to 48 hours.
“We deeply regret the inconvenience, particularly during the holidays. Our team is working round the clock to resolve the situation and restore stable electricity,” he assured.
The gas leak underscores the fragility of power infrastructure dependent on gas pipelines and highlights the urgent need for alternative and redundant energy sources in industrial regions like Aba.
