Jubilation As Gov. Alex Otti Prepares To Expand Steady Electricity To More 8 LGAs In Abia State.

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has announced his administration's intention to purchase the Umuahia ringed fence area currently under the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), aiming to deliver uninterrupted electricity to the eight local government areas not yet benefiting from Geometric Power's coverage.

He made this announcement on Monday during a reception organized by the management of Geometric Power, following the commissioning and inspection of the new Aba Power 2 X 15 MVA Sub-station at Ogbor Hill, an event officiated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Governor Otti instructed the Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities to engage in talks with Geometric Power’s management regarding the possibility of transferring its surplus electricity to the Umuahia ringed fence, noting that all necessary evaluations and due diligence processes have already been completed.

He confirmed that the proposal would be officially submitted on Tuesday.

“Ordinarily, what would happen is for that excess power to be injected into the national grid, but then, with the deregulation, our discussion with Geometric Power is around wheeling that 80 or 88 megawatts or any excess power into Umuahia ring-fence. So, once we are in control, that excess power will go to Umuahia,” Gov. Otti stated.

The Governor also expressed gratitude to former President Obasanjo for the bold decisions he took during his presidency, particularly the early designation of Aba as a ringed-fence area—a move made well before the federal government’s current policy allowing states to regulate electricity. He also commended Professor Bart Nnaji for his investment in the state.

Former President Obasanjo praised Governor Otti's leadership in Abia, characterizing Aba as a vital industrial hub in need of reliable electricity. He extended his congratulations to Governor Otti, Professor Nnaji, and the people of Abia on the accomplishments of the project so far.

In his address, Professor Barth Nnaji, Chairman and CEO of Geometric Power Group, provided an overview of the Aba Integrated Power Project's mission. He acknowledged the critical roles played by both former President Obasanjo and Governor Otti in the project's development, which he revealed has surpassed $800 million in investment.