Genesis Energy Limited and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited have announced plans to supply excess power generated from the Port Harcourt Refining Company to the national grid.
The partnership, unveiled during an official visit by the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, to Genesis Energy’s operational site within the Port Harcourt Refinery in Eleme, Rivers State, is aimed at improving grid stability, expanding electricity access, and advancing Nigeria’s energy transition goals.
Genesis Energy said in a statement that it operates the nation’s largest licensed private off-grid clean power plant, an 84-megawatt facility that supplies sustainable energy to the Port Harcourt refinery, which is currently dormant due to an ongoing technical review.
Recall that the power minister has recently lamented that Nigeria had over 10,000 megawatts of power locked in idle plants across the nation.
According to Adelabu, the Port Harcourt refinery could only use 20 MW out of its current capacity, leaving over 60 MW stranded.
Under the new arrangement, Genesis Energy and NNPC will work together to channel the refinery’s excess or stranded power to the national grid in line with the Federal Government’s Power Sector Reform and Energy Transition Agenda.
Speaking during the visit, Adelabu commended Genesis Energy’s operational excellence and reaffirmed the Federal Government’s support for private-sector investment in the power industry.
“We have over 10 gigawatts of stranded generation capacity in Nigeria today. We have energy being generated or capacity being installed all over the country that cannot be evacuated because of transmission and distribution bottlenecks,” the minister said.
He added, “We are ready to do everything possible to attract investors to support us so that industries, businesses, and households can have uninterrupted, functional, and reliable electricity. This collaboration will serve as proof of concept for integrating excess capacity into the national grid and could lead to an additional 120 megawatts once the pilot phase is concluded.”
Adelabu further assured that the government would fast-track transmission infrastructure and commercial arrangements to enable seamless evacuation of power from the facility to the grid.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Genesis Energy Group, Mr Akinwole Omoboriowo, said the partnership with NNPC underscored the company’s commitment to leveraging clean energy solutions for national development.
“At Genesis Energy, we remain committed to powering progress through strategic partnerships that strengthen Nigeria’s energy infrastructure and expand access to reliable power. This collaboration with NNPC Ltd. exemplifies pragmatic innovation, leveraging existing assets to expand energy access, enhance refinery productivity, and contribute to national development,” Omoboriowo stated.
He added that the initiative would create jobs, support industries, and power local communities, while reinforcing Nigeria’s journey toward a cleaner and more sustainable energy future.
Genesis Energy said it would continue to work with the Federal Government, financiers, and other stakeholders to promote industrial growth, advance the just energy transition, and strengthen national grid reliability.
“The 84 MW off-grid independent power plant operated by Genesis Energy, located within the Port Harcourt Refining Company, stands as the nation’s largest licensed private off-grid clean power plant and the company’s pioneering clean energy investments in the country.
”The facility, powered by three GE TM2500+ gas turbines, supplies uninterrupted, sustainable power directly to the refinery, improving operational efficiency, strengthening local energy security, and reducing dependence on diesel and grid instability. The PHRC IPP also exemplifies how gas-to-power acts as a strategic enabler for renewable energy deployment, with every 1 MW of gas-to-power capacity creating potential for up to 2 MWp of solar power investment, thereby supporting Nigeria’s Just Energy Transition and climate resilience agenda,” the statement added.
