![The Okpai plant in Nigeria [source: Eni]](http://gastopower.co.uk/media/k2/items/cache/62047f4a0119b5e573e9f9890f25caae_S.jpg)
Italy's Eni and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) have signed a memorandum of understanding that envisages, among other things, that Eni will progress plans to double generation capacity at the Okpai Independent Power Plant “through the fast track development of its Phase II making it one of the largest combined cycle power plants in Africa” Eni said.
The 480 MW CCGT Okpai plant, located near Kwale, in the Delta State, was inaugurated in 2005 by Eni's subsidiary Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company and Conoco-Phillips. It supplies electricity under a contract with the Power Holding Company of Nigeria to some 10 million households.
In 2013 the plant supplied a total of 2,841 GWh, using 550 million metric standard cubic meters of gas, equal to about 15% of annual national consumption, according to Eni's website.
The statement came after a meeting between Eni's CEO Claudio Descalzi and the minister of State for petroleum resources and CEO of NNPC Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu in Rome.
The MoU, signed by Eni through its subsidiaries NAOC and Nigerian Agip Exploration (NAE), aims “to further strengthen the longstanding and fruitful partnership in Nigeria.”
That includes setting “the basis for the assessment of the electrical national grid reliability and of most efficient renewable energy projects, to secure energy accessibility in the country’s most remote areas” Eni said.
Developing electricity generation and infrastructure resources in the Africa continent is part of Eni's strategic plan for the coming years.
Regarding the upstream sector, oil and gas production operations will intensify with an increased focus on development and exploration activities in the onshore, offshore and Ultra Deep Water operated areas. Concerning the refining sector, the Parties agreed to cooperate for the rehabilitation and enhancement of Port Harcourt refinery.