The Federal Government has taken a fresh step toward reviving the long-dormant Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) with the inauguration of an 11-member project delivery committee aimed at restoring the plant to full operation.
The committee draws membership from key stakeholders in the power and aluminium sectors, including three representatives from ALSCON, two each from the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), as well as two members apiece from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Federal Ministry of Power.
According to its mandate, the committee is expected to fast-track critical power infrastructure required for the smelter’s operations.
This includes completing and connecting the 132 kilovolt transmission lines linking Itu to Aba and Calabar, producing updated project status reports and single-line diagrams, and overseeing joint commissioning of the lines, alongside determining funding needs.
The committee is also tasked with addressing the connection of a 330 kilovolt transmission line to the facility. Its responsibilities include assessing the progress of the project, identifying funding gaps, preparing detailed reports, and coordinating joint commissioning once construction is completed.
While inaugurating the committee at his office, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, described the revival of ALSCON as a strategic national priority with far-reaching economic benefits.
He said the federal government was determined to ensure the aluminium plant resumes production in the shortest possible time.
Adelabu urged all agencies involved in the process to work collaboratively and focus on practical solutions capable of delivering results without delay.
He stressed that reliable electricity supply was critical to the plant’s sustainability and its contribution to national development.
“If ALSCON returns to operation, the impact on the economy will be significant,” the minister said. “It will boost local industrial capacity, create jobs and stimulate economic growth.
”Power is the backbone of this plant, and we must ensure that delays are eliminated through cooperation.”
The minister recalled a visit to the facility in October last year, noting that ALSCON management had repeatedly engaged the ministry on the need for stable, uninterrupted power supply and connection to the national grid to support continuous operations.
Also speaking at the event, Viacheslav Krylov, representing UC Rusal, the majority shareholder of ALSCON, reaffirmed the company’s readiness to collaborate with the federal government to resolve power-related challenges.
Krylov disclosed that the smelter has a built-in 540 megawatts gas-fired power generation capacity primarily designed to meet its internal operational needs, adding that surplus electricity could be fed into the national grid.
He stressed the importance of grid connection as a backup source of power, particularly during disruptions to gas supply, noting that uninterrupted electricity remains essential to sustaining production at the plant.
