Since deciding in 2009 that its three new power plants would operate with Wärtsilä gas engines rather
than gas turbines, the conventional choice at that time in Nigeria, Paras Energy has continued to
benefit from that decision. As the company’s success gathers momentum, a new Wärtsilä Optimized
maintenance agreement has been specifically tailored to support these growth ambitions.

Paras Energy is a 100 percent privately-owned independent Nigerian energy provider connected to the country’s national grid. This, however, has not always been the case. Until 2008-9, Paras Group was a steel producer with plans to install its own dedicated power generating plants in order to become self-sufficient for its energy needs. The national grid at the time was already affected by instability, and interruptions to the electricity supply were affecting production.

It was then that discussions with Wärtsilä began. Although gas turbine technology was the standard choice for power generation in Nigeria, Paras became increasingly interested in the advantages offered by Wärtsilä gas-fuelled engines, in particular their flexibility and ability to respond rapidly to load changes. The steel melting shops use induction furnaces, and the variations in load requirements are significant. Furthermore, the Wärtsilä technology features low water consumption, an important consideration in view of Nigeria’s long dry seasons.

Eventually, Paras Energy became convinced that the right choice for their three locations was the Wärtsilä 34SG gas engine. This has proven to be a wise decision. In the years since the power plants were installed, not only has the Paras Group’s steel production been able to benefit from having a reliable source of electricity supply, but in 2016 Paras Energy began feeding Nigeria’s national grid, the first privately-owned company to do so.

Wärtsilä 34SG engines in the three plants have a combined output of approximately 132 MW. Based on an average connected capacity of some 6.5 kW for each Nigerian home, this represents the annual consumption equivalent of close to 20,300 domestic households.
The engines’ fast starting and stopping capability in response to existing supply and demand fluctuations as well as foreseen supply fluctuations from renewable sources, such as wind and solar, ensures that the plants are well in line with the Nigerian Federal Government’s integrated energy mix targets. The Nigerian Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) action agenda in the 30:30:30 vision document outlines a target of generating 30 GW of power by 2030, with 30 percent from renewable energy sources.