ALSCON to generate power supply from National grid

The federal government has approved the supply of power to Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom to facilitate its return to full production capacity.

The Minister of State Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah disclosed this during his tour of the ALSCON facility in Ikot-Abasi, Akwa Ibom state.

The minister stated that the Federal Executive Council approval to connect the Company to the National Grid is a sign of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration’s commitment to ensuring that ALSCON is functional, adding that the plant has great economic potential that would benefit not just Nigeria, but Africa.

He noted that the company could employ about two thousand Nigerians when it began full operations. He therefore stated that the federal government will ensure it provide all necessary support to see the plant is up and running.

ALSCON managing director Zavalov Dmitry revealed that the plant was forced to shut down in 2014 due to gas supply cut. However, the company has began plans to restart the plant.

While commending the federal government for approving the supply of power to the plant, he appealed for the provision of alternative source of gas supply as “industries that produce metal globally always have two sources of gas supply of gas.”

Akwa Ibom state commissioner for environment and solid minerals, Charles Udoh stressed the state government support for federal government’s decision to resuscitate the ALSCON plant; adding that the state is ready to partner with the federal government to ensure that the plant begin operations.

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