The Federal Government says the rehabilitation of the Aluminium Smelting Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State, will contribute about 540 megawatts of electricity to the national grid once the facility becomes fully operational.
Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, disclosed this during an official visit to the plant on Monday, reaffirming the government’s resolve to reconnect ALSCON to the grid and complete the stalled 330kV substation project in the area.
Adelabu described the smelting company as a major industrial asset that has remained dormant for decades due to lack of electricity. He stressed that restoring its operations would significantly strengthen Nigeria’s power generation capacity and boost local aluminium production.
“This company has the potential to transform Nigeria’s aluminium industry, create jobs, and reduce the country’s dependence on imports,” he said.
The minister explained that although ALSCON was established in 1989 and completed in 1998, it has not functioned optimally because it was never connected to the national grid. He added that the government, in partnership with the Transmission Company of Nigeria and the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, has developed short- and medium-term plans to fix this.
Adelabu noted that the facility has six gas turbines, each capable of generating 90 megawatts, and said the government’s priority is to ensure the completion of the Ikot Ekpene–Ikot Abasi transmission line and the 330/132kV substation, which would allow the full 540MW to be evacuated to the grid.
He also revealed that the plant’s power capacity could later be expanded to 660MW through upgrades that would enable additional output from the turbines.
The minister assured that the Power Ministry would personally oversee the completion of the substation within 90 days, adding that Nigerians would soon feel the impact of the plant’s reactivation.
He said the revival of ALSCON would create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, supply raw materials to local manufacturers, and conserve foreign exchange currently spent on aluminium imports.
On gas supply, Adelabu said the government was working on pricing reforms to make gas more accessible for power generation.
ALSCON’s Development Adviser, Viacheslav Krylov, who accompanied the minister, said the company aims to reach full production of 200,000 metric tonnes of aluminium within six years but emphasised the need for steady electricity and a reliable backup power supply.
He called for improved grid stability and long-term power purchase agreements to support the plant’s sustainable operations.
The government’s renewed interest in ALSCON forms part of its Vision 2030 energy goals, which aim to expand electricity access, enhance industrial output, and strengthen the country’s energy infrastructure.
