Egbin Power Plant in Ikorodu, Lagos State, the biggest generating power station in Nigeria, has shut operations, leading to a drop from its 1,100 megawatts to zero.
It was gathered that its generation dropped since Saturday.
A senior management staff of the station told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the cause was due to an alleged sabotage by one of the former employees of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).
The source told NAN that the former staff member threw an object into the power plant and it tripped off.
The management of Egbin Power Plc had said in a statement, on Tuesday, that the operations of the plant were being threatened by the activities of illegal occupants.
The statement said that huge investments and continuing upgrade following the plant’s privatisation on November 1, 2013 had since shored its generation capacity to over 1,100 megawatts.
According to the statement, the illegal occupants who have refused to leave the plant’s Housing Estate since November 1, 2013 are set to make good their threat to sabotage Egbin’s operations.
“This unfortunate development portends grave danger that is capable of decimating recent progress in the power sector.
“Already, outcome from investigations into some criminal activities at the Housing Estate has been linked to these illegal residents and their collaborators.
“It is instructive to note that management has declared Amber Security Alert on the plant as a proactive step to protect lives and property.
