Egbin Power Plc has halted operations after a contractor lost his life during an underwater maintenance task.
The accident, which happened on Tuesday, forced the shutdown of the facility. One of the key contributors to electricity generation on the national grid.
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The company’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Felix Ofulue, extended sympathies to the deceased’s family.
“Following the incident, all established emergency response, safety, and reporting procedures were immediately activated, and the appropriate authorities were notified without delay,” he said.
Ofulue added that the company is working closely with regulators to investigate the cause of the incident, noting that a full review is currently underway.
“Egbin Power remains committed to ensuring the safety, health, and welfare of its workforce and contractors, while upholding the highest operational standards,” he stated.
A source familiar with the situation, who requested anonymity, disclosed that the contractor had been carrying out specialised underwater work at the plant’s pump house when the tragedy occurred.
The task reportedly involved recovering or stabilising a submerged pumping unit.
According to the source, the equipment suddenly powered on while the diver was still within a restricted area.
“The diver was inside the lagoon pump system for a recovery operation when the pump unexpectedly started. He became trapped and was fatally injured by the impeller,” the source explained.
The contractor was said to be affiliated with Browndive Underwater Services, a company known for executing complex underwater industrial projects across Nigeria’s oil, gas, and maritime sectors.
Operations in the affected section were immediately stopped, prompting a wider shutdown of the facility to allow for safety inspections and evaluations.
“Since April 28, the plant has been offline and disconnected from the national grid as engineers and safety teams carry out thorough assessments,” the source added.
Egbin Power Plant, with an installed capacity of 1,320 megawatts, remains a vital component of Nigeria’s electricity generation infrastructure.
NAN
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