Once more, NNPC close down Escravos gas pipeline

By Michael Eboh The epileptic power situation witnessed across the country since the beginning of the year is expected to worsen further, as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Thursday, announced another closure of the Escravos to Lagos Pipeline, ELP, due to an explosion on the facility.

However, the NNPC, in a statement in Abuja, said its Group Managing Director, Mr. Maikanti Baru, had directed that repair works should be executed immediately on the pipeline to ensure that gas supply is restored today (Thursday). Baru said the pipeline was ruptured by an explosion Thursday, along Egbokodo-Omadino, in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State. He further directed that gas supply from other sources like Oben, Oredo, Sapele, Ughelli and Utorogu be stepped up to augment any shortfalls as repair works have commenced on the pipeline. The NNPC explained that Escravos pipeline supplies gas to power plants, in addition to feeding the West Africa Gas Pipeline System. It said, “It should be recalled that ELPS-C (downstream) of this pipeline was incinerated by a bush fire January 2 at Abakila, in Ondo State, which had since been rectified and brought back to service. “The earlier fire incident had affected gas supply to customers in Ondo, Ogun and Lagos State with subsequent shutdown of some power plants with a combined generating capacity of 1,143 megawatts, MW.”