The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and Genesis Energy Limited have unveiled a new plan to supply surplus electricity from the Port Harcourt Refining Company to Nigeria’s national power grid.
The initiative, announced during a visit by the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, to Genesis Energy’s facility in Eleme, Rivers State, aims to boost grid stability, support industrial growth, and advance Nigeria’s clean energy transition.
Genesis Energy operates an 84-megawatt off-grid clean power plant — the country’s largest privately licensed facility — which currently provides energy to the Port Harcourt refinery. However, with the refinery undergoing technical review, only about 20 MW of the plant’s capacity is being used, leaving over 60 MW idle.
Minister Adelabu said the partnership would ensure the unused power is fed into the national grid, aligning with the Federal Government’s Power Sector Reform and Energy Transition Agenda. He commended Genesis Energy for its operational efficiency and reaffirmed government support for private investments in the energy sector.
“We have over 10 gigawatts of generation capacity stranded due to transmission and distribution limitations,” Adelabu said. “This project will demonstrate how excess power can be integrated into the grid and could pave the way for an additional 120 MW after the pilot phase.”
He also assured that the government would speed up work on transmission infrastructure to facilitate power evacuation from the refinery site to the grid.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Genesis Energy Group, Mr. Akinwole Omoboriowo, described the collaboration as a milestone in strengthening Nigeria’s power infrastructure. He said the project would create jobs, enhance local energy access, and contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable economy.
“At Genesis Energy, we are committed to leveraging clean energy to drive industrial growth and improve energy reliability. Partnering with NNPC reflects our shared goal of expanding access to affordable and sustainable electricity,” Omoboriowo stated.
He explained that the company’s gas-powered independent plant, equipped with three GE TM2500+ turbines, provides uninterrupted energy supply to the refinery while reducing reliance on diesel and grid instability.
Genesis Energy said the project highlights how gas-to-power can support renewable energy expansion, with each megawatt of gas capacity capable of enabling up to two megawatts of solar energy investment — a key element of Nigeria’s energy transition plan.
The collaboration is expected to serve as a blueprint for integrating stranded generation into the grid, supporting national development and the Federal Government’s goal of achieving reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity access for all.
