FG Eyes 540MW Boost with ALSCON Power Restoration

The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has announced plans to restore electricity supply to the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON), stating that the plant has the potential to add up to 540 megawatts (MW) to the national grid.

During a working visit to the facility in Ikot-Abasi, Akwa Ibom State, Adelabu emphasized that reviving the plant would not only enhance power generation but also create around 15,000 direct and indirect jobs once it becomes fully operational.

He expressed concern that, despite being established 37 years ago, the absence of dedicated electricity had hindered the nation from maximizing the benefits of the massive investment in ALSCON.

According to him, a temporary connection to the national grid will be implemented as work progresses on a sustainable, long-term power solution.

Commenting on the abandoned 330kV substation in the area—constructed by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) and nearly 90 percent completed before being left unattended—Adelabu assured that the project would be completed soon to optimize the value of the ALSCON investment.

He recalled that ALSCON, initiated in 1989 and completed in 1998, was later acquired by the Aluminium Smelting Company of Russia (RUSAL) after the 2006 privatization exercise.

Adelabu lamented that decades of underutilization due to poor power supply had stalled the plant’s contribution to industrial development. He highlighted its potential to support the aluminium value chain, generate employment, supply raw materials to local industries, and reduce foreign exchange spent on imports.

He noted that the government’s renewed efforts are part of its broader plan to expand electricity access nationwide by 2030, in line with Vision 2030. “We are engaging stakeholders, including the company’s management, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), NDPHC, and contractors, to develop both short- and medium-term strategies to address ALSCON’s power challenges,” he stated.