Diri
Bayelsa turbines undergo test-run, 24-hour electricity on the horizon, assures Gov. Diri
Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State announced at the weekend that the power turbines inaugurated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on April 10 are currently undergoing test-run in parts of Yenagoa, the state capital, and will soon be extended to other areas.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, the governor described the test-run as a breakthrough in his administration’s drive to deliver 24-hour electricity across the state.
Speaking as special guest at the “Feast Day Cultural Fiesta” of St. Mathias Catholic Church, Amarata, Yenagoa, Diri said power from the turbines had already reached the Opolo area and was being extended toward the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) state headquarters, with supply expected to reach Kpansia and beyond this week.
He noted that the test-run phase had encountered some initial difficulties due to aging transmission lines, revealing that certain cables failed when energised.
Engineers working on the project are now upgrading the lines and have proposed introducing electronic systems, he added.
“The only challenge we have is that PHEDC (Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company) lines are very bad. The moment power is supplied from our plant, the lines fail, particularly in areas where the wires are broken. And because our power system is electronic, it trips off.”
The governor explained that the newly installed plant is electronically controlled and capable of supplying 24-hour electricity to homes in the state.
“Our gas turbine project is not dead as some insinuated. It was actually in its final stages.
“As I speak, power is gradually getting to homes in parts of Yenagoa. I was reliably briefed that it had got to the Opolo axis and getting down to the NDDC state headquarters area. By today or tomorrow, it will get to Kpansia axis and beyond.
“This gas turbine is not like the one procured by our late leader, Chief Melford Okilo, at Imiringi. Those ones are now analogue. These ones are electronically controlled. So, it is an e-gas turbine. All of them have been tested, and they are ready to supply light day by day,” Diri said.
He disclosed that during his first term he held discussions with the late Access Bank CEO, Herbert Wigwe, but the talks collapsed following Wigwe’s death in a plane crash in 2024.
“I started this electricity matter with Access Bank and the late Herbert Wigwe. At the point we were to sign an MoU, Wigwe came to my country home in Sampou and we agreed on everything. Then he left for America and that was the last of him.”
He said a friend later offered to deploy a ship-mounted power plant to Yenagoa, but he insisted on a land-based solution that would utilise the state’s gas resources.
“I told my dear friend I do not need a ship on our waters to supply power. I want electricity on ground here in Yenagoa. We are very rich in oil and gas, and I believe it could be achieved through gas turbines,” he stated.
Diri assured that stable electricity is now guaranteed and emphasised that he has never played politics with the state’s development.
He also expressed satisfaction with the structural progress of the church, adding that he would be glad to see the edifice completed during his tenure.
The Parish Priest of St. Mathias Catholic Church, Reverend Father Bruno Douglas, commended Governor Diri for his consistent support of the church and faith-based initiatives in the state, noting that the governor’s presence at the service demonstrated his commitment to both faith and community development.
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