Operations at Egbin Power Plc have been suspended following a fatal industrial accident involving a contractor during an underwater maintenance exercise.
The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, forced a shutdown of the facility—one of Nigeria’s largest power plants and a key contributor to the national electricity grid.
Confirming the development to the News Agency of Nigeria, the company’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Felix Ofulue, expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and said emergency protocols were immediately activated.
“Following the incident, established emergency response, safety, and reporting procedures were triggered, and relevant authorities were notified,” Ofulue stated.
He added that the company is cooperating fully with investigators to determine the exact cause of the accident, while an internal review is ongoing. He reaffirmed the company’s commitment to maintaining high safety standards and protecting the well-being of its personnel and contractors.
Sources familiar with the incident revealed that the contractor was engaged in specialised underwater operations at the plant’s pump house when the accident occurred. The task reportedly involved retrieving or stabilising a submerged pumping machine within the lagoon water system.
According to one source, the situation turned tragic when the equipment unexpectedly powered on while the diver was still within the restricted zone.
“The diver had entered the pump system to carry out a recovery operation. Unfortunately, the pump came on unexpectedly, trapping and killing him,” the source explained.
The deceased contractor was said to be affiliated with Browndive Underwater Services, a firm known for handling complex underwater operations in Nigeria’s oil, gas, and maritime sectors.
Following the incident, operations at the affected section were halted immediately, leading to a broader shutdown of the facility for safety inspections and technical assessments.
As of April 28, the plant remains offline and disconnected from the national grid while engineers and safety officials conduct detailed evaluations.
With an installed capacity of 1,320 megawatts, the shutdown of Egbin Power Plant could have implications for electricity supply, underscoring the critical role the facility plays in Nigeria’s power generation system.
