KEPCO Wins Deal on
Power Upgrade from Nigeria

Secures a bridgehead for its entry into African power market

Korea Electric Power Corp. has landed a $25 million (23 billion won) project to upgrade boilers of the Egbin thermal power plant in Nigeria and ensure its normal operation.
KEPCO was awarded with the project to upgrade two boiler units by the Nigerian government, who recognized KEPCO's excellent technological power, outbidding such rivals as Marubeni of Japan and NPC of India. KEPCO's winning of the contract is significant in that the Korean power company has established a bridgehead for entering the African power market, KEPCO officials said.
The Officials said KEPCO wants to make a joint entry into the Nigerian market with other Korean power concerns by making the most of the latest deal. KEPCO is in final negotiations with the Nigerian side on other projects including the operation and repair of the power plant, they added.
The Egbin power plant with a combined capacity of 1,320MW, located about 60 km east of Lagos, the economic capital of Nigeria, accounts for about 30 percent of Nigeria's total power generation.
A recent boiler explosion has suspended operation of two power units with a capacity of 440MW, exacerbating the chronic power shortage Nigeria has been suffering.
The reality is that most of power units in Nigeria are decrepit, so the power plants badly need to have their power units improved with a power supply of 4,429MW or about 63 percent of the African nation's power capacity of 7,056MW. The nation has insufficient power infrastructure with a power supply rate of less than 50 percent, most of large buildings and houses for middle- or higher-level income households find themselves suffering from excessive noise and exorbitant electricity charges since they have to depend on their own independent power generation equipment. nw

KEPCO has been awarded with a project to upgrade tow boiler units of the Egbin thermal power plant in Nigeria.