Fatal underwater accident forces shutdown of Egbin Power Plant
Nigeria’s already fragile power supply has suffered a major setback following the shutdown of the Egbin Power Plant after a contractor died in a tragic underwater maintenance accident.
The incident, which occurred late Tuesday, has halted operations at the country’s largest thermal power station—an energy backbone that contributes significantly to the national grid.
Confirming the development on Wednesday night, Mr. Felix Ofulue, Head of Corporate Affairs, said the company was mourning the loss of a contractor involved in a high-risk maintenance operation.
“The Board and Management of Egbin Power express deep sorrow and extend heartfelt condolences to the family, loved ones, and colleagues of the deceased,” Ofulue said.
“Our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.”
He added that emergency response, safety, and reporting protocols were immediately activated, while relevant authorities were notified.
The company, he said, is cooperating fully with law enforcement agencies and regulators as investigations continue.
“We remain firmly committed to the health, safety, and well-being of all personnel and contractors, and to maintaining the highest standards across our operations,” he said.
However, details emerging from sources familiar with the incident point to a devastating sequence of events beneath the plant’s lagoon-based pump house.
According to one source, who requested anonymity, the contractor had been engaged for specialised underwater operations involving the retrieval or stabilisation of a submerged pumping machine.
During the operation, the equipment reportedly powered on unexpectedly while the diver was still within the confined zone.
“The diver went in to carry out a recovery operation inside the lagoon water pump system. Unfortunately, the pump came on unexpectedly, and he was trapped and killed by the impeller,” the source said.
The deceased was said to be affiliated with Browndive Underwater Services, a firm known for handling complex underwater industrial projects across Nigeria’s oil, gas, and maritime sectors.
In the immediate aftermath, operations in the affected section were suspended, triggering a broader shutdown of the facility.
Since April 28, the plant has remained offline and disconnected from the national grid as engineers and safety officials conduct detailed technical and safety assessments.
With an installed capacity of 1,320 megawatts—generated from six units of 220MW each—the Egbin facility accounts for more than 16 percent of Nigeria’s electricity supply. Its sudden outage is expected to deepen pressure on an already strained power system.
As investigations continue, uncertainty lingers over when operations will resume—and what the incident will ultimately reveal about safety protocols in one of the nation’s most critical infrastructure assets.
