Egbin Power Plc has suspended operations following a tragic industrial accident that claimed the life of a contractor during an underwater maintenance exercise at its facility. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, has forced the shutdown of the plant, one of Nigeria’s major contributors to electricity generation on the national grid.
Confirming the development on Thursday, the company Head of Corporate Affairs, Mr Felix Ofulue, expressed deep condolences to the family of the deceased. He stated that emergency response procedures were immediately activated after the incident and that relevant authorities were notified without delay.
According to Ofulue, the company is fully cooperating with regulatory bos to investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident. He added that a comprehensive review is currently underway to determine what led to the fatal occurrence and to prevent future incidents.
Preliminary details from a source familiar with the situation revealed that the contractor was engaged in a specialised underwater task at the plant pump house. The assignment reportedly involved retrieving or ilising a submerged pumping machine within the lagoon water system.
During the operation, the equipment unexpectedly powered on while the diver was still in a restricted zone. The diver was reportedly trapped by the pump impeller, leading to fatal injuries. The deceased contractor was said to be affiliated with Browndive Underwater Services, a company known for handling complex underwater industrial operations in Nigeria oil and maritime sectors.
Following the incident, operations at the affected section were immediately halted, triggering a full shutdown of the facility for safety checks and technical assessments. Since April 28, the plant has remained offline and disconnected from the national grid.
With an installed capacity of 1320 megawatts, Egbin Power plays a critical role in Nigeria electricity supply. The shutdown is expected to have implications for power availability as investigations continue.
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