The Board of Directors at Ibom Power Company Limited (IPC), led by the chairman, Engr. Etido Inyang has embarked on an inspection tour of the Ibom power plant currently undergoing routine maintenance known as Major Inspection (MI).
In a gas turbine operation, like that of the Ibom Power Plant, a Major Inspection is the comprehensive inspection of covered parts of the plant including the repair or replacement of necessary parts and the performance of necessary services recommended by the manufacturer to be performed at intervals.
According to the original equipment manufacturer of the Ibom power plant, General Electric (GE), unit 3 of Ibom power is due for Major Inspection after ten years of operation. Ibom power plant started commercial operations on December 14, 2009.
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In preparation for the MI, which is expected to be completed by the end of April 2021, the Ibom power plant was shut down on the 13th of February 2021.
GE’s Lead on the project, Uko Johnson disclosed that the ongoing MI is the first of its kind being performed on unit 3 of the Ibom power plant since it was installed about 10 years ago.
Mr Johnson said, “When we have a Major Inspection, it is a way of bringing the machine from where it is now to factory standard. Everything about the machine, the internals, the rotor, both the compressor rotor and the turbine rotor are taken out. We are getting things done in pieces and all the components are being inspected before installation”.
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“All the standards and clearances are in place. We have passed the message to the customer (Ibom power) about the lube oil and they are dealing with it. We are grateful for the support and cooperation we have received thus far,” he added.
The chairman of the Board of Directors, Engr. Etido Inyang, who spoke on the purpose of the inspection tour, said the board is pleased with the speed at which GE is executing the MI.
“I witnessed the dismantling of the turbine at the commencement of the MI when the rotor, the compressor, and the different parts were removed for inspection and it was professionally done”.
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“We had the option of going to a cheaper company to execute the MI but we did not want to comprise on standards that is the reason we, as a Board, settled for GE and we are happy with what we have seen so far”.
“The safety guidelines on site are industry compliant. We are pleased with the speed at which the maintenance is moving, at this pace, we believe that the date estimated by GE for the first start of the unit is feasible” the chairman said.
The Managing Director of Ibom Power Company Limited and Senior Special Assistant on Power to the Governor, Engr. Meyen Etukudo guided the Board of Directors on the inspection tour along with the Manager, Operations and Maintenance, Aniefiok Sunday and other technical personnel at the Ibom power plant site in Ikot Abasi, Ikot Abasi LGA.
